Lehigh County lawmakers present $500,000 grant to laborers’ union in Allentown
Rep. Ana Tiburcio May 15, 2026 | 3:13 PM
ALLENTOWN, May 14 – Lawmakers from across Lehigh County joined together today to support the Laborers’ International Union of North America training center.
State Reps. Mike Schlossberg and Ana Tiburcio, and state Sen. Nick Miller joined House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris to present a grant for $500,000 toward a new roof for the training center at the LIUNA Local 1174 facility in Allentown.
“LIUNA 1174 has helped to build some of the Lehigh Valley’s most iconic community anchors, including Parkland High School in my district and Coca-Cola Park in Allentown,” said Schlossberg. “Facilities like the LIUNA headquarters, where apprentices and workers come for hands-on training, make this possible. Workers come away with skills to build a good life, and our communities benefit from what they literally build.”
The LIUNA Local 1174 facility is a critical hub for workforce coordination, training, and economic opportunity throughout the region. This includes LIUNA’s Class A Registered Apprenticeship Program and education opportunities for experienced workers, helping to deliver highly skilled, safety-conscious labor on projects in the Lehigh Valley.
“Investing in job training programs is an important way to invest in our community,” said Tiburcio. “The apprentice training programs at LIUNA 1174 create jobs that sustain families. Local 1174 members provide an essential service to our community and help make the Lehigh Valley a special place.”
“Investing in Local 1174 is an investment in the workers who build, maintain and strengthen communities across the Lehigh Valley,” said State Rep. Jordan A. Harris, Majority Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “This $500,000 investment will help support critical improvements to the training center, ensuring workers have a safe, modern space to learn the skills needed for good-paying jobs. From safety training to heavy equipment operation and construction skills, the work happening here prepares people for careers that support families and keep Pennsylvania moving forward.”
While state Rep. Peter Schweyer could not attend, he shared the following comment:
“The hardworking members of Laborers Local 1174 not only display a tremendous work ethic but are highly skilled. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Tiburcio and the rest of my delegation to ensure that their training facility will be here in the city for years to come.”
“Investing in LIUNA Local 1174’s training center is an investment in our workforce and regional economy,” said Miller. “This facility is critical to preparing the next generation of skilled tradespeople through apprenticeship, hands-on training, and career pathways that lead to family-sustaining wages.”
“We are grateful to Reps. Schlossberg, Schweyer, and Tiburcio, and Sen. Miller for making this grant funding possible,” said Joe Laquatra, president and business manager of the Pennsylvania Laborers’ District Council. “Their support represents an important investment in both our union infrastructure and the future of a highly skilled construction workforce in the Lehigh Valley. Our members take tremendous pride in the work they do throughout the region, and this project will help ensure they continue to have access to the training and opportunities they deserve.”
“This building has seen constant use for more than two decades because it’s where our members come to train, meet, and build careers,” said Mike Knecht, Laborers’ 1174 business manager. “From registered apprenticeship classes and monthly meetings to the day-to-day work of representing nearly 500 construction laborers across the region, this facility plays an important role in supporting both our current members and the future construction workforce of the Lehigh Valley. This investment will help us continue training skilled local workers and connecting them to quality, family-sustaining jobs for years to come.”