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Union representative urges Morrow County to press solar developer on local hiring
Summary
A representative of Labor's Local 1216 told the commissioners the Sol Systems/Lawson Solar project intends to bypass local union labor and asked county officials to urge developers to employ local workers under existing pilot program standards.
Jeff Sellers, business manager for Labor's Local 1216, told the Morrow County Board of Commissioners on July 2 that he and local trades unions had been informed the Sol Systems project (referred to in the transcript alongside Lawson Solar and an EPC contractor, "Hanba Qcell") does not intend to use local union labor for upcoming construction.
"We were informed last week, that there's no intention of utilizing, local union labor for that project," Sellers said, and he told commissioners his union had written letters addressed to Sol Systems, the listed owner Lawson Solar and the EPC contractor. Sellers said Local 1216 represents five counties in the region — including Morrow County, Richland County, Ashland County, Crawford County and Knox County — and that local workers have been involved in solar projects in nearby counties.
Why it matters: Sellers said using local labor would keep wages and spending in the community and provide career opportunities through apprenticeship programs. He asked commissioners to support the union's outreach to developers — from a phone call to a written letter encouraging the company to "get to the table" with local unions.
Details from the public comment: Sellers said local unions had attempted to engage Sol Systems for months and previously met with company representatives when the project changed ownership. He cited a county pilot program the transcript describes as requiring an 80% Ohio domicile for project labor and said unions are concerned developers might attempt a lower domicile percentage or different compliance plan. Sellers asked the county to help track compliance with any domicile or prevailing-wage requirements and to press for use of local apprenticeship standards.
Speakers and response: Commissioners acknowledged Sellers' remarks during the public-comment period; no formal action was recorded in the meeting minutes directing staff to send a letter or open a specific enforcement review. Sellers asked for any support the commissioners could provide, including a phone call or written encouragement to the developer.
What was not specified: The transcript does not provide the developer's response, specific contract terms, a published labor agreement, or exact reporting obligations that the developer must follow for Ohio-domicile or prevailing-wage compliance. The project owner and EPC contractor are named in the transcript as Sol Systems, Lawson Solar and Hanba Qcell; the transcript also references a change in ownership and prior meetings but does not provide contract documents or formal filings.
