05/13/2026
Indiana Laborers’ District Council Calls for Project Labor Agreement and Local Workforce on Google-Backed Data Center Project
Terre Haute, May 12, 2026: The Indiana Laborers’ District Council (INLDC) is calling on Potentia Inc. and all parties connected to the proposed Google-backed data center development at Heartland Industrial Park in Sullivan County, Indiana, to commit to a binding Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and prioritize Indiana workers and contractors on the massive project.
The multi-billion-dollar development has been promoted publicly as a transformational investment for Sullivan County, with promises of job creation and long-term economic growth. However, the INLDC says early site work has already been awarded to out-of-state contractors while qualified local workers and contractors are being sidelined.
Labor leaders say representatives associated with the project previously indicated that discussions surrounding a PLA were underway before major construction activities began. A PLA would establish local hiring standards, wages, benefits, safety requirements, and workforce participation expectations for the project.
Instead, according to union representatives, contractors from outside Indiana have already mobilized to the site while local skilled workers are being left behind.
“No one is opposed to economic development or investment coming into Sullivan County,” said Joe Bolk, Business Manager of Laborers’ Local 204. “But a project this size should be creating careers and strengthening communities right here in Indiana. Not shipping work and wages out of state.”
“Indiana Laborers are some of the best-trained and most productive workers in the country,” Brian Short, Business Manager of the INLDC, said in a statement. “Our members live in these communities, raise families here, support local businesses, and reinvest their wages back into Indiana’s economy. Developers should not be bypassing the local workforce while importing labor from other states.”
Union leaders also raised concerns that no finalized PLA or enforceable local hiring agreement has been publicly announced despite earlier conversations suggesting such agreements were being pursued.
The Indiana Laborers’ District Council is calling for:
A Signed Project Labor Agreement (PLA) covering major site work and construction work;
A written local hiring and local contractor participation plan prioritizing Indiana workers and businesses;
Transparency regarding subcontracting and workforce decisions;
A commitment to utilizing local skilled union labor throughout all phases of the project.
The INLDC says it remains ready to work with developers and contractors to ensure the project succeeds while delivering meaningful economic benefits to the people of Sullivan County and all of Indiana.
“We are ready to build this project safely, efficiently, and professionally,” Bolk added. “Now it’s time for the developer to stand by its word and invest in Indiana’s workforce.”
