The Building Tradesman took first place in the General Excellence category in the 2009 International Labor Communications Association’s (ILCA) annual media contest.

The awards were handed out Sept. 12 in Pittsburgh at the ILCA Convention, held just before the AFL-CIO Convention. The Tradesman was judged against other union publications across the U.S. and Canada, and took the top award in the category of publications of more than 20,000.

According to the judges’ comments: “Outstanding publication; reads like a general interest paper with very comprehensive information about all the affiliated unions.  The writing is also very good, and the stories are important.”

The general excellence category requires the submission two consecutive editions of a publication during a calendar year, in this case, 2008. The category’s second place award went to the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, North Country Carpenter; and the third award went to the New York State United Teachers, The New York Teacher.

“It’s quite an honor, and really, a thrill, to have our publication chosen tops in general excellence,” said Building Tradesman Managing Editor Marty Mulcahy. “There are many, many terrific union publications around the country, and it’s nice to get affirmation that we’re doing something right.”