NABTU Urges Presidential Action Amid Canceled Construction Projects

The Facts -

Urgent Call for Action: Construction Job Uncertainty Sparks Concerns

Washington, D.C. – July 23, 2025 – The construction sector faces mounting challenges as recent developments threaten job security for thousands of workers. Sean McGarvey, President of North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU), has issued a call to action addressing these pressing issues.

In a statement, McGarvey directly appealed to the President, acknowledging his background in building and project development. He expressed concern over actions from within the administration that have led to significant job cancellations. "You are working hard, attempting to make deals and bring jobs back. But right now, some people around you are canceling job-creating projects — and with them, thousands and thousands of good-paying, blue-collar construction jobs," McGarvey stated.

The cancellation of key infrastructure and energy projects has led to uncertainty, which McGarvey describes as "a death blow" for the industry. Significant projects across the country have been affected, including:

• The Department of Transportation's withdrawal of funding from a California high-speed rail project, risking 1,500 daily construction jobs.
• The halt of federal funding for Massachusetts' $2 billion Allston Multimodal infrastructure project, jeopardizing 3,000 jobs.
• The cessation of a billion-dollar gas plant project in Tennessee, affecting 2,000 jobs.
• The cancellation of a CHIPS plant in Michigan, eliminating 5,000 jobs.
• The end of a major loan for the $11 billion Grain Belt Express in the Midwest, impacting over 22,000 positions.
• The reduction of energy tax credits by Congress, threatening hundreds of thousands of energy sector jobs.

Additional issues, such as prevailing wage rate cuts at NASA’s Cape Canaveral and labor violations at Arizona's TSMC project, further exacerbate the situation. McGarvey highlighted that these are not isolated incidents, with $17 billion worth of energy projects canceled this year alone, resulting in the loss of approximately 19,000 jobs.

Specific regional impacts include:

• Multiple South Carolina energy projects worth $2.8 billion were canceled, affecting thousands of jobs.
• Cancellation of three manufacturing energy plants in Georgia, totaling nearly $3 billion, led to the loss of over 1,000 jobs.
• A paused $1.4 billion battery plant in North Carolina, putting 1,000 jobs at risk.
• Four halted projects in Arizona resulted in over 3,800 job losses.
• Seven major projects in New York were closed or canceled, affecting thousands of construction workers.

McGarvey's plea emphasized the importance of these projects in sustaining employment for construction workers until larger initiatives are realized. "While the media chases other stories, construction workers are being left behind," he remarked, urging for intervention to support these valuable workers and their families.

For further information, media contact: Betsy Barrett, (202) 997-3266 | bbarrett@nabtu.org

About NABTU: North America's Building Trades Unions represent over 3 million skilled professionals across the construction industry. NABTU invests significantly in training and education to support economic security and career opportunities for diverse communities. Learn more at nabtu.org.

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