Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building Constructions and Trades Council, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Amazon's announcement to increase its original investment in the region. Hager also discussed local unions working to grow their workforce and an upcoming special election in August.
Amazon has announced another $7.8 billion investment in the Central Ohio region, bringing its total promised investment to approximately $10 billion. This adds to a growing list of megaprojects in the area, a megaproject is defined as a $1 billion privately funded construction project. These megaprojects will continue to require more manpower from the local unions. Hager and the Building Trades Council have been working non-stop since the announcements began to provide the skilled construction workers necessary to complete the projects.
There have been many area building trades unions who have or are in the process of making the changes needed to grow their membership, Hager noted. After highlighting the various unions and their efforts, Hager discussed the work done through the Building Futures program to develop a pipeline for the local unions. Most apprentices joining the trades in Central Ohio have been coming directly from high school, seeking a career that will allow them to join the middle class. Hager also talked about the early 30-year-olds who have joined recently after leaving jobs that didn’t provide the opportunities they could receive in the trades.
The Ohio Supreme Court voted 4-3 in June to not block the August special election regarding State Issue 1. Hager and many in the labor movement are outraged by the proposed costs of the election, with it rumored to cost taxpayers as much as $20 million. The ballot issue proposes changing the way the state constitution is amended from a simple majority to 60 percent voter approval. Along with that increase, stipulations in the ballot issue would make gathering signatures to get an amendment on the ballot more difficult than previous, according to Hager.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.