Posts tagged IBEW Local 26
Blue-Collar Jobs Are the New Flashpoint in Data-Center Fight
September 3, 2026 // During construction, data centers need people who can pour concrete, wire electric panels and install equipment like power generators and chillers to keep servers cool. Once the centers are built, they don’t employ as many workers but provide steady streams of tax revenue to fund local schools and other projects. Some locals have opposed the tax breaks that attract the investment, prompting some states to pause or claw them back. The build-out has pushed Meta Platforms and other tech companies to invest in training skilled workers. OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google and Microsoft also have partnerships with unions and have highlighted worker shortages as a key bottleneck for the U.S. in the AI race.
IBEW’s James Scotti Sentenced After Guilty Pleas
March 2, 2026 // James Scotti, an employee of Professional Sports Publications, which is a company that conducted business with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 (located in Lanham, Md.), was sentenced to three years of probation with six months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $162,960 in restitution. On November 4, 2025, Scotti pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 1349. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
‘Right to work’ unlikely to change much in Va. this year, union and business leaders agree
January 20, 2026 // Speaking at a Jan. 14 forum sponsored by Advance Arlington, Slaiman said a contentious fight over Virginia’s unionization framework would get in the way of more pressing priorities in a year when Democrats have control of the governorship and both houses of the General Assembly. “We’re not going to disrupt this [legislative] session. We’ve got too much of an agenda,” said Slaiman, whose union local represents 15,000 workers. Addressing right-to-work’s future “will come later,” he said.
IBEW Ally James Scotti Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud
January 7, 2026 // James Scotti, who did work with IBEW Local 26, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, totalling over $160k that would have been stolen.