Oregon Electricians Leave State for Data Center Jobs as Union Backs Development
IBEW Local 48 in Portland, Oregon, is advocating for data center development to create jobs for its members, despite growing public opposition and proposed moratoriums in cities like Hillsboro and Salem. This stance puts the union at odds with some local politicians and progressive groups. Many electricians are relocating to other states like Idaho for work on large projects, intensifying the union's efforts to secure local data center jobs.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48, based in Portland, Oregon, is actively supporting data center development in the state amidst a decline in local union trade work and a significant exodus of electricians to large projects in other states, including Micron Technology's campus expansion in Boise, Idaho, and projects in Reno, Nevada, and Kennewick, Washington. The union views data center construction as a crucial source of well-paying jobs for its members, despite increasing public unpopularity.
This position has created friction with segments of the Democratic Party's base and politicians like Portland City Councilor Mitch Green, who cited environmental impact, poor tax return, and connections to AI as reasons for constituent opposition to data centers. Tensions have escalated to protests at public meetings, with one incident leading to an arrest by the Salem Police Department after a union leader was allegedly shoved.
IBEW Local 48 has demonstrated its political influence through a record $400,000 contribution to Governor Tina Kotek's re-election campaign, coinciding with her announcement of a "Prosperity Roadmap" aimed at economic growth and expedited permitting. However, Governor Kotek also navigates the complex political landscape by supporting local data center moratoriums and halting the sale of land in Salem for a hyperscale data center. The Oregon Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, recently passed a resolution advocating for "high-road standards" for data center development to ensure community benefits.