(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/14/2024) (ANN ARBOR) – U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm described the country as amid a "building boom," touting to union pipefitters and plumbers on Wednesday how federal construction tax credits incentivize tapping into union contractors and apprenticeship programs.  

Granholm, Michigan's first woman governor from 2003 through 2010, gave remarks at Washtenaw Community College. Wednesday’s event at the college was the United Association (UA) of Plumbers and Pipefitters' annual instructor training program, which will run from Aug. 10-16.  

At 11:30 a.m., Granholm spoke to a room of four- and five-year UA apprentices from around the United States, recognizing four people in the auditorium who were from Michigan.  

For more than 25 minutes, Granholm focused on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, which created a tax credit portfolio covering things like the production of "zero-emission" nuclear power, clean hydrogen projects, energy efficiency upgrades for commercial buildings and “clean electricity” generation. 

In order to access the tax credits, the IRA mandates that workers are paid the local prevailing wage, with incentives for hiring apprentices.  

According to the Midwest Economic Policy Institute, Michigan training programs jointly administered by unions and contractors enroll more than 75 percent of the state's construction apprentices. Roughly 22 percent of the state's construction field has been unionized since 2010.  

Granholm told the audience that the Biden-Harris administration's construction incentive policies were formed with the UA at its side.  

"This is an amazing time to be in the construction trades. We have seen now, 900,000 construction trades jobs having been created under these sets of laws, more than at any time in United States history," Granholm said. "We don't want you to just be building a project and then having (huge downtime), waiting for the next thing. We want them to be stacked up, and we want those employers to be craving the kind of skill that you are learning here."  

Additionally, Granholm highlighted how all federal contracted projects are required to have project labor agreements (PLAs), which are pre-hire collective bargaining agreements worked out between construction unions and contractors.  

She added that, although the U.S. Department of Energy cannot force those seeking grants and loans to have unionized workers, the department can be "persuasive." 

"We give more points to those who are seeking grants and loans if they have PLAs. We decide which ones are ranked higher based upon whether they're willing to have strong labor provisions, like a PLA," Granholm said. "We've embedded into the tax credits the ability to incentivize union participation."  

For example, she said through the aforementioned tax credit programs, builders can receive five times the incentive if they hire UA workers. Also, she talked about the federal ban on non-compete clauses, outlawing penalties against workers seeking other jobs with higher wages.  

What Does A UA Appearance Mean For Promoting Kamala Harris 

Granholm mentioned the name of Vice President Kamala Harris about five times throughout her interactions with the UA. She said she wasn't allowed to "get political or talk about the campaign." But she did indicate union members have a role to play in raising awareness concerning the building boom's importance.  

On this week's episode of the MIRS Monday Podcast, public relations specialist Andrea Bitely of Bitely Communications, discussed how the Harris campaign has conjured up enthusiasm among Oakland County women. She noted increased enthusiasm within pockets of Grand Rapids, Lansing and Wayne County as well, where there are larger minority populations.  

However, she doesn't anticipate a Macomb County union member being as excited about Harris, although she secured the United Auto Workers' formal backing. 

"I don't see that putting Democrats over the edge in every single county. I think the Republicans still have a bit of an advantage in some cases because, frankly, there's still racism that goes into voting and sexism that goes into voting," Bitely said. "I'm very interested to see what's more powerful…(former President Donald Trump's) base combined with people who are just not ready for a woman and a person of color? You know, what is more powerful in this election?"  

MIRS spoke with Emily Smith, a fifth-year apprentice with the UA in Minnesota. When she walked into the auditorium to hear Granholm's remarks, she wanted to know what's being done to promote her side of the trades and to ensure she has job security in the future.   

"I feel like they really recognize the value of their skilled labor, and the amount of training we put in, and just the fact that the Secretary of Energy is willing to come speak to fight year apprentices, who are going to be leading the trade in the future, (is) really validating and encouraging," she said, explaining that the issue of available, pro-union construction jobs is "fairly top of mind."  

As for confirming what Granholm called the "building boom," Smith said she absolutely does see a lot of projects right now, and has to plan her vacations very far ahead of time.  

"I'm told I have work for the next two to three years," she said.