Uptown at RiversEdge investment creates opportunities for local laborers

The $25 million investment announced for Uptown at RiversEdge is cause for celebration by many, but a local labor leader is cautious about what the future holds for the project. William Borch Jr., up-state business agent for Ironworkers Local 25, said he wants to see unionized labor and skilled trades do the work at the Uptown site. “I’m glad they found a developer, but my concern is they’ll bring in cheap, transient labor,” Borch said. Borch, who represents about 2,700 union labor workers across 21 counties, said about 1,700 Local 25 members are currently working in the area at jobs including Hemlock Semiconductor Group in Saginaw County’s Thomas Township, wind farms in the Thumb and Breckenridge and other projects.

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