Communications Labor Union Ranks Broadband Projects

July 26, 2024 – Communications and media labor union, Communications Workers of America, published a ranking of 14 county-level broadband projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds on Thursday.

The projects, which span 10 states, were evaluated on public transparency, labor standards and digital equity, including the counties’ ability to drive additional funding from private companies and the affordability of resulting broadband services. 

CWA said that it “hopes to inform policymakers about the importance of transparency and accountability as their states move towards deploying billions in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding.”

“This report shows the importance of picking the right path rather than writing a blank check. Those communities that privileged an open public process, future-proof fiber, and a partner willing to invest in the community will reap the benefits for years to come,” said Ry Marcattilio, associate director for research at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Of the projects, only one, Kenton County, Kentucky, received a perfect score according to CWA evaluations. Kenton County officials reportedly made the project agreement publicly available online and gave stakeholders frequent status updates. Altafiber contributed a $30 million investment on top of the county’s $10.8 million ARPA funding and committed to offer a low-cost subscription plan. 

“CWA Local 4400 members in Ohio are proud to be setting a higher standard for broadband projects that are long-lasting and stimulating our local communities,” said CWA Local 4400 President Jason Ballman.

“We know that commitments from broadband companies to pay good wages, provide affordable service to customers, and make their own investments on top of public funding aren’t automatic, especially if a grant program is structured to reward a race to the bottom.”  

“While the size of the IIJA’s broadband buildout is unprecedented, the deployment process is not. As states begin receiving BEAD funding, we hope policymakers are taking note of our project and paying attention to what real accountability and integrity looks like, and how this has translated into positives for us in Beaver County,” added CWA Local 13000 President Jim Gardler in Pennsylvania. 

CWA urged states to prioritize transparency, strong labor practices and ensure policymakers take a long-term view in evaluating broadband technology, considering future network costs when allocating funds from the $42.5 billion BEAD program. 

The ARPA program was intended to assist state and local governments with revenue shortfalls tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SLFRF is a competitive funding opportunity through ARPA. Many states chose to use these awards to fund the expansion of high-speed internet networks across their jurisdiction.