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Draft 'high road' infrastructure resolution circulated; board members ask for language changes and clarity of purpose
Summary
Board members circulated a draft resolution promoting a "high road" approach to infrastructure-related workforce funding. Members requested revisions to clarify intent, to broaden employer coverage and to avoid unintended constraints on small business participation; staff set an April 15 input deadline for executive committee consideration.
A multi-member drafting group presented a revised draft resolution on standards for infrastructure-related funds at the March 26 meeting. The resolution frames a "high road" approachendorsing workforce principles such as good wages, career pathways, safety standards and labor-management partnershipsfor projects that receive public funding.
Diane Factor and other board members, including the drafting team, described the resolution as an aspirational statement of values that would guide board recommendations about infrastructure-linked workforce investments. Members emphasized worker voice, training, safety and career advancement as central elements of the draft.
Board members offered detailed feedback. Several members urged that the resolution not unintentionally exclude private employers or small businesses that currently lack formal labor-management agreements; others proposed adjusting language to use terms such as "resilient" rather than "sustainable" to broaden the resolution's appeal and to reflect climate- and workforce-resilience priorities. Staff and board members cautioned that publishing a public statement would invite external interpretation, so the drafting group should clarify its purpose and how the board expects the document to be used operationally.
Process and next steps: The drafting group asked board members to submit edits and comments to staff by April 15 so the executive committee could review a revised draft before deciding whether to advance it to the full board for a formal vote at a subsequent meeting.
Why it matters: The resolution would signal the board's priorities when it advises on infrastructure-related workforce investments and could inform expectations for grantees and contractors that accept public funds. Members said careful wording is important to avoid unintentional policy consequences and to preserve broad partnership options.
