US Labor Unions Drive $500 Billion AI Buildout, Reject Universal Basic Income
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 12
US Labor Unions Drive $500 Billion AI Buildout, Reject Universal Basic Income
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 12
Summary
$500 billion in AI infrastructure investment under the White House-backed Stargate project is being framed as a jobs engine for union labor, not a trigger for universal basic income.
1,500 skilled tradespeople can work on a single large data center at peak construction, with electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers and HVAC technicians filling roles that often pay six figures with overtime.
45% to 70% of a data center's construction budget can go to electrical work, underscoring why labor advocates are pushing apprenticeships, faster permitting and more power-project capacity.
The argument comes as warnings about AI-driven job losses intensify, with Labor Secretary Mark Beall casting government checks as a surrender and the buildout as a way to preserve work and wages.
That stance fits a broader AI data-center surge already drawing hundreds of billions from cloud and chip companies, extending the boom into power, supply chains and regional construction markets.