For Planning Purposes 

Emilia Rowland, Emilia.Rowland@mail.house.gov

ADVISORY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 15th, 2024 at 12:30 PM 

Summer Lee, USW to Host Workforce Equity Roundtable  with Women in Organized Labor, U.S. DOL, Partner4Work, and Community Partners 

This event will discuss how federal, state, local, and nonprofit partners are working to ensure federal investments provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the CHIPS and Science Act to create high quality, union jobs for women, especially women of color 

[Press RSVP Here]

Pittsburgh, PA — On Friday, March 15th from 12:30-2PM, Rep. Summer Lee will partner with the United Steelworkers to host a roundtable with representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, Pennsylvania’s Office of Labor and Industry, Partner4Work, labor leaders, and union  workers to discuss the importance of increasing pathways for women, and especially women of color, in high-paying union roles facilitated by the more than $1.2 billion in federal investments that Lee has helped bring back to Western PA through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the CHIPS and Science ACT. 

Rep. Lee partnered with the Biden administration and Governor Shapiro on initiatives – such as the first in the nation workforce training program delivering $400 million to create 10,000 new jobs – to ensure that the implementation of these massive democratic federal investments benefits all Western Pennsylvanians – including women of color who are so often left behind.  

WHEN: Friday, March 15th, from 12:30-2PM EDT

WHERE: United Steelworkers HQ – 60 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

WHO: 

• Moderator: Randie Pearson, Women of Steel, USW
• Rep. Summer Lee, PA’s 12th Congressional District
• Deputy Director Gayle Goldin, Women’s Bureau, Department of Labor
• Angela Ferritto, President PA AFL-CIO
• Susie Puskar, Partner4Work
• Beth Mikus, Southwestern PA Coalition of Labor Union Women
• Emily Adair, Special Assistant for Workforce Development, PA Dept of Labor & Industry
• Felicity Williams, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor, City of Pittsburgh
• Charleeka Thompson USW National Rapid Response Coordinator
• Renee Hough, USW
• Alicia Pelfrey, USW 
• Samantha Ervin-Upsher, Carpenters
• Monica Dunn, Painters
• Leslie Hughes, SEIU 32BJ
• Michelle Boyle, SEIU Healthcare
• Lilas Soukup, DOE, AFGE President of Local 1916

WHAT: Moderated roundtable highlighting the pathways for women, and in particular women of color, to be able to access the well-paid, union jobs that are created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. With billions of dollars of investment coming into Pennsylvania, Rep. Lee and the DOL are working to ensure these jobs are available to everyone.  

Key Discussion Themes

• Promoting Workforce Diversity and Inclusion: How recent federal investments promote diversity and inclusion in our workforce, with a focus on creating new opportunities for women of color in traditionally underrepresented roles.
• Addressing Challenges and Barriers: How potential challenges and barriers, such as childcare, transportation, and harassment, that may hinder women’s participation in the infrastructure workforce.
• Supporting Public-Private Collaboration: How leveraging partnerships between government, labor unions, and nonprofits can support the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women of color in union jobs.
• Key Examples and Best Practices: Sharing best practices and lessons learned from implementing programs aimed at creating high-quality, union jobs for women of color
• Future Policies and Initiatives:  Identifying additional policies or initiatives needed to sustain and expand equitable job opportunities for women of color.

Press RSVP Here

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Since taking office in January, Lee, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and Space, Science and Technology Committee, has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $1 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $200 million for infrastructure, over $50 million for affordable transit, and over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 1,600 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.