IFPTE Supports Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, Calls for Progressive Offsets to Pay for It

The bipartisan framework is “a good first step toward significant infrastructure investment to support millions of good paying, union represented jobs”

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC – The executive officers of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) issued the following statements in response to President Biden’s negotiated bipartisan infrastructure framework:

IFPTE President Paul Shearon:

“IFPTE is pleased that President Biden and his team have reached a bipartisan deal on an infrastructure framework that, if achieved, would be a good start toward the much more robust infrastructure spending needed to meet most of our nation’s needs.  Make no mistake about it, much more work needs to be done beyond the bipartisan deal outlined last week, something the President himself, Speaker Pelosi and Leader McConnell acknowledge, and which should include progressive offsets to pay for the larger package such as raising the minimum corporate tax, closing corporate tax loopholes that allow multi-nationals like Amazon to pay no taxes at all, and ensuring that our wealthiest wage earners finally pay their fair share in taxes, to help pay for the full scope of our infrastructure needs.  Such a package should also include The PRO Act.  That said, IFPTE does believe that the framework outlined by the Biden Administration last week represents a good first step toward significant domestic infrastructure investment to support millions of good paying, union represented jobs. IFPTE will remain actively engaged with the Administration and Congressional negotiators on the finer details related to public private partnerships and asset recycling, and their potential impact on government sector, union jobs, particularly in relation to IFPTE represented government work.”

IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer/Legislative Director Matt Biggs:

“IFPTE applauds the hard work of President Biden, his team, and the handful of good-faith Congressional negotiators who came to an agreement on an infrastructure spending framework that calls for $1.2 trillion in spending over eight years.   As the President has said time and time again throughout the campaign and his first five months in office, he is committed to ensuring that this spending will not only address the public transit, power, roads, bridges, ports, waterways, and many other infrastructure needs facing our nation, it will do using union-represented labor.  IFPTE also urges the Administration and Congress to move forward with a budget package that seeks to address other priorities that are not included in the bipartisan package.  Of course, the devil is in the details, particularly when it comes to exactly how these packages will be paid for, something IFPTE will keep a keen eye on.  In that regard, IFPTE will continue to advocate for progressive pay-fors, and also will also guard against the inclusion of public private partnerships and asset recycling that could negatively impact government sector, union-represented work.”

IFPTE is a labor union representing upwards of 90,000 workers in the private, public, and federal sectors in the United States and Canada.

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Download a copy of this press release [PDF]
Read the AFL-CIO’s press release: Trumka:  ‘It’s Time to Build’.