ATLANTIC CITY, July 16, 2010 – Commissioner Harold J. Wirths joined Governor Chris Christie in addressing the delegates to the 106^th Annual Convention of the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council (NJBCTC) earlier this week.

The Commissioner spoke about the importance of the construction industry to the New Jersey economy and supported the efforts of the Christie Administration to encourage private-sector job growth and the commitment to retain and attract employers to the Garden State.

“We need structural reform in our state to reenergize our economy, encourage businesses to locate here and to grow in the Garden State,” Commissioner Wirths said. “We need to rebuild the confidence of businesses in the future of our state spurring investment in new plants, offices, and homes.

Wirths also spoke of the Department’s commitment to equitably enforcing New Jersey’s labor laws to protect the rights of workers and fair competition among businesses.

Commissioner Wirths told the delegates that in the last fiscal year, the Department launched 2,300 prevailing-wage investigations and recovered $1.7 million in back wages for 1,600 workers.

The New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO represents more than 100 local unions and more than 150,000 members.