Electric utility deals with data centers would require labor standards

The Public Service Commission would not approve an electric utility contract, tariff, discount, or rate involving a qualified data center unless specified labor standards are met. The rule would cover a data center in Michigan with one or more buildings designed and used to house equipment for storing and processing data, along with its construction and construction-maintenance work. The work would have to use apprenticeship programs registered and in good standing with the U.S. Department of Labor under federal apprenticeship law. Construction workers would have to receive at least the higher of the applicable state or federal prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates for the place where they work. To the extent allowed by law, the entities doing the work would have to use a project labor agreement or a collective bargaining agreement. A project labor agreement would have to cover contractors and subcontractors, allow them to compete regardless of other union agreements, protect against strikes and lockouts, provide labor-dispute procedures, support cooperation on work quality and safety, and follow state and federal law. These conditions would begin on the effective date of the amendatory act and would apply to the Commission's approval of the listed utility arrangements from that date forward.