Gov. Josh Shapiro has been promoting the success of maintaining jobs in Butler County as a result of his lobbying the Biden administration to reverse its rule that originally placed those jobs in harm’s way. Keeping those workers employed and helping Pennsylvania maintain leadership in energy is an incredibly positive thing that we applaud.

Unfortunately, there is a deeper side to this story that must be called out as the announcement follows the governor’s continued allegiance to unions. While union workers are a part of the workforce providing their skills, they also only represent roughly 10% of the workforce in Pennsylvania. Gov. Shapiro frequently touts Pennsylvania’s unions and is quick to do public relations junkets with them, but is rarely engaging the 90% of the workforce that is not unionized — especially in the skilled trades. This needs to change.

This attitude must be called out as we have a workforce shortage in Pennsylvania that is growing even more in the construction field. As governor, you must work with everyone and have a responsibility to lift all workers up, not just the ones that align with your political philosophy. This is what will make our commonwealth stronger in every way.

Gov. Shapiro playfully puts out that he wants his administration to “Get S@&! Done” but only focuses on 10% of the construction workforce. I strongly suggest, if this is genuine, that he reach out to the rest of the workforce that is nonunion and be amazed at what more gets done.

Justin Erdner, President, Associated Builders & Contractors, Western Pennsylvania, Gibsonia