Projektbeschreibung
Kontext
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS) have unleashed what could ultimately be trillions of dollars of investments in the production of batteries, semiconductors, and renewable energy products, potentially creating hundreds of thousands if not millions of jobs and drastically transforming local labor markets.
Generally, the success of industrial policies is measured by their ability to lower prices and increase production levels. The characteristics of the jobs created are thus largely taken for granted. However, for communities absorbing these investments, it matters whether the jobs provide access to collective bargaining, family-sustaining wages, and strong labor protections. Because IRA and CHIPS policy instruments have varying degrees of conditionality on labor standards, we expect substantial variation, opening up a rich research opportunity. Roosevelt’s research will provide essential context for future decisions around industrial policy.
Fragestellung
The primary goal of this project is to assess the impact of industrial policy investments on local labor markets, with a focus on job quality, firm-level labor practices, and the alternate experiences of male and female workers. We will analyze gender disparities in access to training programs, employment opportunities, and job quality within the sectors targeted by the IRA and CHIPS investments. We will also consider the role of policies and firm practices in mitigating or exacerbating these disparities. Research questions will include:
Are firms engaged in workforce development, apprenticeship or other training practices on site or through collaborations with post-secondary institutions or other training providers?
Are firms engaged in collective bargaining, targeting hiring of historically disadvantaged workers, etc.?
Which firm practices and local conditions maximize job quality and worker wellbeing in the context of industrial policy-driven employment?
Untersuchungsmethoden
We estimate the labor market impacts of US clean energy investments on local communities and assess firms' training and hiring practices. Using matching functions and regression models, we estimate job-finding rates for local workers and assess impacts on labor conditions like gender and racial composition and wages. Additionally, we analyze firm workforce development plans and interview local unions and worker centers to evaluate plan implementation and employment quality.
We utilize the US Dept. of Energy's clean energy investments database of electric vehicle and energy manufacturing and power generation: including data on location, industry, firm, investment amount, and expected jobs and microdata from the US Current Population Survey to forecast required skills and wage distributions for occupations to estimate labor impacts. We supplement our econometric analyses with case studies to assess high-road, union-friendly, and inclusive employment practices in industrial investments.