Biden to Sign Order Prioritizing Federal Grants for Higher Worker Wages

PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order on Friday that aims to secure federal grants for projects that prioritize labor agreements, fair wage standards, and employee benefits including access to child care and apprenticeship programs.

The Biden administration has been emphasizing that economic growth should stem from enhancing working conditions for employees.

Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su remarked, “A good job is a job with security and benefits, where workers have the right to join a union, advocate for better working conditions, come home safe and healthy, and retire with dignity.”

The announcement will take place at a union training center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, highlighting the crucial role that organized labor may play for Democrats in the upcoming November election.

In her contest against Republican Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris is counting on support from the AFL-CIO and various labor unions to mobilize voters in key battleground states.

Trump, in an effort to garner union support, has welcomed Teamsters President Sean O’Brien to speak at the Republican National Convention. However, the Teamsters have not yet made any formal endorsements, although Harris is anticipated to meet with their leadership soon.

This executive order will create a task force to streamline policy development aimed at increasing benefits and protections for American workers.

The Biden administration’s investment in infrastructure, computer chip manufacturing, and renewable energy projects has triggered a significant number of initiatives across the country.

According to the administration, its incentives have spurred approximately $900 billion in private-sector investments focused on renewable energy and manufacturing sectors. Despite these substantial commitments, many voters remain preoccupied with the aftermath of heightened inflation experienced in 2022, indicating that the benefits of these projects may take time to resonate.

As construction on new initiatives begins, it may take several years before the positive impacts of these investments are fully realized in communities nationwide.