ABC chairman’s message: Governor’s data center construction framework would shut out ABC members - by Luiza Mills

Meta Platforms Inc. and Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., our chapter’s national parent organization, recently announced a partnership to educate and provide construction-ready career pathways for thousands of data center construction technicians as a meaningful step toward meeting the growing demand for data center workers. Unfortunately, the Healey/Driscoll administration’s subsequent framework for data center construction in Massachusetts, which includes a provision promoting project labor agreements, will effectively shut our member firms out of the process due to the PLA’s union labor requirement and, more broadly, is a disincentive to private development in the Commonwealth. 

America’s Workforce Academy is a $115 million investment in the next generation of construction professionals that includes a five-week training program and a job offer from contractors working on Meta projects at the conclusion of the program. It creates another pathway into the construction industry and can serve as a precursor to a formal open shop or union apprenticeship program.

“America’s Workforce Academy is a transformational endeavor creating incredible careers in construction. ABC is proud to work with Meta, CBRE and academy community partners to welcome all who want to build their career dreams as construction professionals,” said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. “ABC believes in creating opportunities for all on a level playing field and is ready to meet the industry’s needs and help individuals achieve their career dreams. ABC is honored to partner with Meta to expand the pipeline of data center construction workers.

The American Workforce Academy partnership will:

• Build a Sustainable Talent Pipeline: establishes scalable, repeatable workforce development models that align industry, training providers and workforce systems to meet ongoing demand.

• Deliver Accelerated, Job-Ready Training: provides standardized, industry-aligned training that equips participants with the skills, safety knowledge and jobsite readiness needed to contribute quickly and effectively.

• Ensure Safety and Productivity from Day One: prepares participants to meet industry and project-specific safety standards and contribute productively on the jobsite from the outset.

But excitement about the partnership was quickly dashed when the Healey/Driscoll administration made PLAs a condition for receiving state tax incentives for data center projects. With the PLA, the Commonwealth is effectively telling businesses that if they want to build in Massachusetts, they don’t have the option of using ABC members on their privately funded projects. The benefit from tax incentives will also be offset by the additional cost of building with a PLA.

Meanwhile, other states are aggressively supporting data centers and not imposing burdensome construction requirements. The imposition of PLAs on private development will only exacerbate the challenges we face in attracting businesses to the Commonwealth. Meta is just one example of the scores of national corporations that have established relationships with ABC members and other open shop contractors across the country. 

As Bellaman said, “The sustained demand for data center construction technicians means the industry needs an all-of-the-above approach to address this shortage and grow the construction talent pool.”

We hope the Healey/Driscoll administration will consider these points and reconsider its framework for data center construction in Massachusetts.

Luiza Mills is the chairman of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc.-Mass. Chapter and is a senior vice president at Interstate Electrical Services Corp., North Billerica, Mass.