VA State Sen. Lucas Questions Whether Data Center Developers Are Paying Employees Too Much Money
Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas raised concerns about data centers attracting construction labor with high wages, potentially impacting the availability of workers for residential housing construction. She questioned where the labor force for residential housing would come from, as data centers seem to absorb a significant portion of skilled workers.
Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas questioned the economic impact of data center development on the state's labor force during a legislative meeting. She expressed concern that data centers are "swallowing up all of the labor force" by offering high annual wages, reportedly between $100,000 and $250,000, for construction jobs.
Senator Lucas highlighted a potential challenge for the residential housing sector, asking where the necessary employees for home construction would be found, especially after data center projects are completed and developers move on to other locations. The chairman of the meeting acknowledged her concern, stating that he did not have an immediate answer but would look into finding someone to address the question.