Intel groundbreaking ceremony postponed, project remains viable

Dorsey Hager, C/COBCTC Executive Secretary-Treasurer

Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, made his monthly appearance on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and told AWF host Ed “Flash” Ferenc why the groundbreaking ceremony for the Intel project in Central Ohio was postponed.

The postponement was due to Congress not passing the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductor (CHIPS) for America Act, which was designed to offer financial incentives to semiconductor manufacturers to build plants in the U.S. Intel promised to increase its investment in its Ohio semiconductor campus from $20 billion to upwards of $100 billion if the bill becomes law.

Hager is confident the bill will eventually pass, but noted it is currently mired in politics as Republicans do not want to give Democrats a legislative win before the midterms. Nevertheless, the bill is too critical for U.S. domestic manufacturing, national security and the economy for Congress to wait, he said.

The CHIPS Act will not affect Phase I of the project, as sitework has begun and building trades leaders continue to recruit the sizable workforce necessary to make the Intel project a reality, he noted.

Building Futures and Driving Futures continue to grow

Hager also discussed the Building Futures and Driving Futures programs, which need larger facilities to accommodate larger class sizes.

Google recently awarded the programs a $100,000 grant to help them expand. Google is building datacenters in the central Ohio area and wants people who construct the facilities to represent the community, Hager said. Building Futures and Driving Futures do exactly that by removing employment barriers, providing a basic education and guaranteeing direct access to a registered apprenticeship program.

C/COBCTC gears up for midterm elections

Lastly, Hager discussed the upcoming midterm elections and the candidates C/COBCTC has endorsed. This year, Kelly Harrop, C/COBCTC Communications and Outreach Director, is running for Ohio House of Representatives District 3. Hager said the number one priority is to get U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Youngstown) elected to the U.S. Senate.

Listen to the interview: