The Biden administration held a special briefing with the IBEW on May 4 to discuss the American Jobs Plan and the potential for job opportunities in renewable-energy generation, manufacturing, and new or renovated infrastructure projects. The virtual meeting was led by White House senior staff — Director of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council David Kamin, and first Deputy White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi — joined by IBEW International Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson, Director of Political and Legislative Affairs Austin Keyser, business managers and over 900 members from across the international union.
In his first address to a joint session of Congress a week earlier, Pres. Joe Biden explicitly highlighted the IBEW and his plan to create thousands of union jobs by installing 500,000 new electrical vehicle (EV) charging stations along the Interstate Highway System. All construction projects in the $2.3-trillion American Jobs Plan will follow labor standards such as local hiring requirements, prevailing wage, and expanded apprenticeship programs. Raising taxes on the largest corporations will pay for the plan fully within the next 10 years.
