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Industry News and Advocacy
Carpenters Turn Local Organizing Into Statewide Prevailing Wage Law
Data centers are one of the fastest-growing construction projects in the country, and New Jersey is right in the middle of that boom.
These massive facilities power everything from cloud storage to streaming services to artificial intelligence. As demand grows, more data centers are being planned and built across the state, creating a whole new market for construction work.
But without strong protections, many of these projects can rely on low-wage, out-of-state labor and labor brokers who cut corners and underpay workers, leaving local communities out of the economic benefits.
That’s why new legislation signed into law is such an important win for union carpenters.
A New Law That Protects Workers
In January, the New Jersey State Legislature passed a new bill protecting workers on data center construction projects. Governor Phil Murphy signed it into law later that month, one of his final acts as governor.
The new law requires most data center projects to pay the prevailing wage.
Simply put, it makes sure workers are paid fairly and that skilled labor is respected on these projects.
For union carpenters, this means the data center boom can now turn into good-paying, high-quality union jobs, not a race to the bottom.
Turning a New Industry Into Union Opportunities
By tying prevailing wage to data center projects, New Jersey is making sure this fast-growing industry supports:
- Fair wages
- Skilled, trained workers
- Strong safety standards
With prevailing wage in place, Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) may also be used on these projects, creating even more opportunities for union labor and helping keep work local.
Together, these protections help turn data center construction into a steady pipeline of good-paying jobs.
A Win That Started Locally
This law grew out of the EAS Carpenters Union’s campaign in Vineland, New Jersey.
When a major data center project was announced there, developers brought in outside workers and labor brokers instead of hiring local tradespeople.
Our union fought back.
Through community outreach and a letter to the editor in the local paper, the Vineland Voice, EAS Carpenters made it clear that big projects should benefit South Jersey families.
That local fight helped spark action in Trenton and led to statewide protections for workers on data center projects.
From Local Fight to Statewide Law
Our union worked directly with lawmakers to turn that local fight into legislation.
The EAS Carpenters partnered with legislative leadership, including State Senator Paul Sarlo and Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, to craft a bill requiring prevailing wage on data center construction statewide.
As EAS Carpenters Political Director Jonathan Young explained, “Prevailing wage doesn’t guarantee us the work, but it levels the playing field. It reinforces what the building trades stand for: strong apprenticeships, fair wages, and skilled labor.”
With support from labor partners and legislative leaders, the bill moved quickly and passed during the lame duck session.
What began as a local organizing effort became a statewide win for workers.
Leading the Way for Other States
By tying strong labor standards to a fast-growing industry, New Jersey is making sure new development creates real middle-class jobs.
This law can now serve as a blueprint for other states across the EAS Carpenters Council, proving that emerging industries can grow while respecting workers, wages, and union labor.
This ad appeared in a local southern New Jersey newspaper, the Vineland Voice, as part of a campaign to inform residents that developers building a new data center were bringing in outside workers and labor brokers instead of hiring local tradespeople. The campaign was ultimately successful and led to a state law requiring the prevailing wage on most data center projects built in New Jersey.