Residents, union leaders press Roane County for local‑hire language on reactor project

Residents, union leaders and workforce trainers urged the Roane County Commission on Thursday to press the contractors building major nuclear and industrial projects to include local‑hire and apprenticeship language in contracts so area residents benefit from the incoming investment.

"The project location was chosen based on the unique combination of regional workforce capabilities," said John Higgins, a Pearland resident. "Those are our skilled craftsmen, vendors, suppliers. Yet Kairos Power's contractor ... is currently using out‑of‑state workers for a large percentage of their workforce." He asked the county to help ensure local jobs are offered to Roane County residents.

Chris O'Keefe, who identified himself as with IowaWORKS of Knoxville and as president of the state building trades, told commissioners he understood the county cannot force private contractors to negotiate but urged them to use leverage during economic development discussions. "We can ask them to come to the table and negotiate," O'Keefe said, and he recommended including apprenticeship language so local students and contractors share in the projects' economic gains.

Speakers described a pattern they said threatens local contractors: large, short‑term wage premiums offered by outside firms can drain the local labor pool and force small subcontractors to close. "When these companies come in, they bring workers with them ... and they'll draw away our workforce," one resident said, urging incoming contractors to allocate a share of subcontracts to local firms.

Apprenticeship instructors told commissioners they already train students for construction careers and asked that the county press for guaranteed apprenticeships. "We teach our students that every day," said April Watson, who teaches the East Tennessee Apprenticeship Readiness Program. "I hope that when these students graduate ... they do have a job to get to."

County leaders acknowledged limits to their authority. Chairman Shannon Hester said a nonbinding resolution supporting local unions or local hiring would carry no enforcement power under Tennessee law. The county executive and economic development staff suggested the county has negotiating leverage through the Oak Ridge Corridor Development Corporation and the industrial development board and could use that influence when projects require local approvals or incentives.

No formal motion or vote on a local‑hire requirement was taken during the meeting. Commissioners and staff said next steps could include discussions with the economic development board and city partners who have jurisdiction over some project sites.