NY’s broadband funding could be boon for jobs, if it’s done right (Guest Opinion by Dennis Trainor)

Dennis Trainor, of Holbrook, New York, is District 1 vice president of the Communications Workers of America union.

My union, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), has already helped attach critical labor protections to New York’s broadband funding that will incentivize high-road employers. We know from experience that some companies try to cut costs by hiring out-of-state, low-road contractors who compromise quality and safety for speed. We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to deploy broadband to every New Yorker, and we must build it right the first time.

When ISPs who will be bidding for New York broadband deployment projects come ready to collaborate with local union workers, it is a win-win for everyone. Just last year, CWA District 1 worked hand-in-hand with Verizon to develop its proposal to expand broadband in Onondaga County. Verizon will utilize its highly skilled union workforce to safely and efficiently deploy fiber-optic broadband service to an estimated 1,500 customers along 214 miles of roads where broadband is currently unavailable, and create over 30 new jobs in the community. Onondaga County is providing Verizon with an $11 million rural broadband grant to do so, funded by the American Rescue Plan and Verizon is also investing $6.7 million of its own money on the project.

Unlike fly-by-night subcontractors, CWA broadband technicians based in and around Syracuse are familiar with our county’s infrastructure — the water mains, gas lines, and electricity — and are highly skilled at this work. Investing in our workforce means safe, reliable broadband infrastructure that will last for generations to come. At the same time, local union workers will keep federal funding circulating through New York state’s small businesses, restaurants, entertainment venues and more.

This is what President Joe Biden intended when he named the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). And the $665 million New York is receiving for broadband from that historic bill hasn’t even started to flow yet.

Federal IIJA funds will be distributed to the state through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. To access funds, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s ConnectALL Office put together a five-year action plan in September, and released its initial proposal in December, detailing its goals for connectivity and where it will build new broadband for unserved and underserved areas of the state. Once a finalized proposal is in place, the state will receive its full BEAD allocation to prequalify bidders, issue and grant awards.

The Onondaga County project is just a preview into what we could see on a large scale, so long as the state ensures this investment is used to improve the lives of residents and workers across the state, like they’re supposed to.

The truth is that due to decades of deregulation and weakened labor laws, many ISPs are outsourcing an increasing share of broadband deployment work to contractors. This cost-cutting technique often leads to shoddy work, accidents and damaged public infrastructure, which can cost local governments and residents millions in the long run.

That’s why it’s critical that New York’s ConnectALL Office continue to ensure that the needs of New York’s communities and workforce are met throughout this process. Given the growing demand for broadband technicians created by this federal funding, my union has made significant investments in its workforce development and apprenticeship programs to help meet this need and ensure our state’s buildout is done right. The stability created in communities by long-term, good-paying career-oriented jobs pays dividends in local economic growth.

Ultimately, centering the workforce and good jobs as part of the state’s broadband deployment will be a win-win for everyone — bringing equitable and sustainable high-speed internet access to communities across the state, while creating thousands of jobs that families can thrive on.