WASHINGTON, D.C. — August 25, 2026 — As communities across North America navigate a critical moment in the expansion of digital infrastructure, the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) commends Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s landmark Executive Order and GRID principles as a national model for responsible development. LIUNA stresses that securing our 21st-century future requires proactive state frameworks that prioritize highly skilled union labor and community-focused standards.

“Data center growth is vital to our nation’s competitive edge, but expansion cannot come at the expense of our workers or communities,” stated LIUNA General President Brent Booker. “The standards laid out in Governor Shapiro’s GRID principles prove that we do not have to choose between cutting-edge innovation and responsible development. By establishing clear, high-road guidelines, we ensure these essential facilities deliver lasting domestic economic gains and family-sustaining union careers.”

 

Moratoriums on data center construction are not the answer. LIUNA urges state and national leaders to follow Pennsylvania’s model by anchoring data center growth around responsible development that include:

 

- High-Road Labor Standards: construction and development should be performed by signatory contractors and be covered by a Project Labor Agreement (PLA).

 

- Community Benefits: Require transparency from developers so local communities are the ones benefiting from Data Centers being built.

 

- Environmental Accountability: Ensuring cooling technologies conserve water and improve energy efficiency.

 

- Local Hire and Registered Apprenticeship: Utilize Labor partnerships to create long-term careers and family sustaining wages.

 

- Energy Sustainability: to ensure rate payer protection so residents and local businesses don’t carry the burden.

 

LIUNA calls on elected officials nationwide to embrace Governor Shapiro’s common sense approach to digital infrastructure. By committing to responsible development and high-road labor standards, policymakers can protect consumers, strengthen local economies, and build the digital future with the highest-skilled union workforce.

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The half-million members of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – are on the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build the U.S. and Canada.
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