Around the Local

Candidate Steps in It With Trades Over Centers

https://www.wweek.com/news/business/2026/04/12/how-one-candidate-stepped-in-it-with-trade-unions-while-discussing-data-centers/

wweek.com reports a Democratic candidate for Oregon House District 52 lost a building trades endorsement after taking an anti-data center position illustrating the tension between environmental concerns and union construction jobs in the growing sector.

CyrusOne 634MW Center Gets Go Ahead

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/cyrusone-gets-go-ahead-for-data-center-in-sangamon-illinois/

datacenterdynamics.com reports the Sangamon County Board narrowly approved a $500 million CyrusOne data center campus in Waverly Illinois spanning 280 acres with up to 634MW of capacity and backed by local building trades unions over significant community opposition.

Local Keeps Members at Home With Modular Jobs (EW)

https://ibew.org/electrical_worker/tennessee-local-keeping-members-at-home-with-modular-jobs/?ref=ew

ibew.org reports Nashville Local 429 is staffing a major Modular Power Systems prefabrication facility in Mount Juliet Tennessee where up to 1400 IBEW electricians will build electrical components for data centers and cell towers across the eastern US.

Law Will Require Electrical Utility Worksites to Have AEDs

https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/new-california-law-requires-electrical-utility-worksites-to-have-aeds/

safetyandhealthmagazine.com covers a new California law requiring automated external defibrillators at electrical utility worksites championed by IBEW members following the death of a utility worker who could not be reached by emergency services in time.

Blue-Green Caucus Touts PA Clean Energy Bills

https://keystonenewsroom.com/2026/04/14/pa-house-blue-green-energy-bills/

keystonenewsroom.com reports Pennsylvania House Democrats joined building trades leaders and environmental advocates to promote a 10-bill clean energy package covering geothermal expansion solar-ready warehouses and battery storage infrastructure.