Rep. Trone, Member of Congressional Labor Caucus, Urges Commerce to Prioritize Labor Standards for CHIPS Implementation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2024
Rep. Trone, Member of Congressional Labor Caucus, Urges Commerce to Prioritize Labor Standards for CHIPS Implementation
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman David Trone (D-MD), member of the Congressional Labor Caucus, joins Co-Chairs Reps. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and more than 120 Members of Congress in urging the Department of Commerce to ensure companies receiving CHIPS and Science Act funds adopt strong labor standards that support middle-class wages and benefits, address the culture of union-busting and union-avoidance in the semiconductor industry, and improve workers’ health and safety on the job.
“The CHIPS and Science Act isn’t just about advancing technology; it’s about creating jobs that uphold the dignity of work, and ensure safety and fair wages for every worker,” said Congressman Trone “We must leverage this moment to set a new standard for labor rights, making sure every dollar spent is a step towards a more equitable and competitive American workforce.”
“This legislation is a significant step towards strengthening U.S. manufacturing capacity and competitiveness, and it has the potential to create thousands of new, good jobs in the semiconductor industry,” the Members wrote in a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “However, given the significant, longstanding opposition to worker organizing in the semiconductor industry and lingering safety concerns regarding the semiconductor manufacturing process, we are urging the Commerce Department as it moves forward in awarding funds from the CHIPS & Science Act to use its full authorities to ensure that recipients adopt the necessary criteria to support high-quality jobs in the semiconductor industry.”
The letter urges Commerce to ensure that CHIPS funds recipients utilize project labor agreements throughout the life-cycle of a facility; sign community benefits agreements that include commitments to respect workers’ right to organize and to pay industry-leading wages; and, include specific, measurable data on wages and benefits in contracts to receive CHIPS funds. The letter also urges Commerce to include worker-led health-and-safety committees when negotiating contracts, facilitate union participation in local and regional workforce development partnerships, and utilize a portion of research and development funds to improve the safety of semiconductor manufacturing.
A full copy of the letter can be found here.
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Budget, and Joint Economic Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders.
Follow Congressman Trone at @RepDavidTrone for updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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