U.S. General Services Administration, Department of Labor announce partnership to support Good Jobs Initiative

August 31, 2023

MOU aims to support pathways to jobs from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act investments

WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today announced a partnership in support of DOL’s Good Jobs Initiative to help create and support clear pathways for all workers to high-quality, good-paying jobs in construction, maintenance, manufacturing, and operations with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) [PDF - 350 KB]. The partnership aims to ensure America’s workers have what they need to deliver on the once-in-a-generation Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investments, critical components of the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate and job quality agenda.

The MOU entered by GSA and DOL leverages the combined resources and expertise of both agencies to ensure the actions necessary to expand equitable access to high-quality jobs for workers and communities. The agencies’ combined efforts will focus on four areas of joint responsibilities:

• Creating good jobs consistent with the shared federal vision of job quality described in the Good Jobs Principles.
• Strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement.
• Job quality, standards and metrics, and workplace equity and inclusion.
• Equitable and effective workforce development.

“There is a clear opportunity to create more direct paths to high-quality jobs and economic security for America’s diverse workforce thanks to the historic investments that GSA is making as we spur billions of dollars in sustainable federal and private sector investments,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.

The Good Jobs Initiative, announced in January 2022, provides critical information to workers, employers, and government to improve job quality, increase worker empowerment, and embed equity and access for workers, especially those from underserved communities, to good union jobs that are free from discrimination and harassment.

“The Investing in America agenda is a historic opportunity to build a more accessible, inclusive, and empowered workforce for all, including workers and communities historically left behind,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su. “Making sure workers have access to good union jobs and creating pathways to the middle class for everyone is only possible through collaboration across federal agencies like DOL and GSA. This memorandum allows us to use the resources and expertise of our agencies to help lower the government’s carbon footprint while creating good jobs that lead to an equitable and diverse workforce.”  

The MOU also aligns DOL and GSA’s shared efforts to educate and encourage industry to attract, train, retain, and empower a diverse, qualified, and well compensated workforce.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a total of $3.4 billion for GSA to build and modernize land ports of entry on the country’s northern and southern borders. The investments will improve commerce and trade, create good-paying construction jobs, and incorporate new and innovative sustainability features. The Inflation Reduction Act provides nearly $3.4 billion to invest in federal buildings with low-carbon materials and sustainable technologies, leverage emerging clean technologies to achieve greater carbon reductions and catalyze American innovation, and help boost the competitiveness of American manufacturers developing sustainable materials.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing about $87 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.