Skilled union tradespeople at work on a construction project.
Union labor and BlackRock strike a deal on AI-driven construction hiring
PLA data center jobs are poised to grow after BlackRock Inc. signed an agreement with organized labor to help staff a wave of new data center and energy construction projects, Bloomberg reported Monday.
The memorandum of understanding connects BlackRock’s $30 billion AI Infrastructure Partnership, a joint venture with Microsoft Corp. and other technology firms, with North America’s Building Trades Unions, which represents more than 3 million skilled trade workers. Under the deal, BlackRock portfolio companies will share details on upcoming projects with the building trades so unions can line up the workforce needed to build them.
READ MORE: Project labor agreements are the inside track to responsible development and higher profits
BlackRock and the building trades pointed to responsible contractor programs and project labor agreements as tools that speed hiring and protect fair wages on major builds. BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink called the agreement “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in American workers.”
The announcement comes as data center projects face growing pushback from communities concerned about their scale and about AI’s effect on jobs. BlackRock announced a $100 million initiative in March to train 50,000 Americans for skilled trades, and Meta Platforms Inc. has committed $115 million to a separate workforce program that guarantees graduates a job.
- BlackRock’s AI Infrastructure Partnership is a $30 billion joint venture with Microsoft and other technology firms
- The building trades unions represent more than 3 million skilled workers across North America
- The agreement highlights project labor agreements and responsible contractor programs as ways to secure fair wages and faster hiring
As more employers turn to project labor agreements to staff major infrastructure projects, learn more about how these agreements protect workers and taxpayers at whatisapla.com.
READ MORE: How community benefits agreements can reduce project delivery risk
