© 2024 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Conole relying on union support ahead of November election

Democrat Francis Conole is touting union support with just under a week to go in the race for central New York's 22nd Congressional District. He also took time to criticize his opponent's stand on the CHIPS and Science Act.

Conole said he has the support of most of the unions in the new 22nd District that includes the cities of Syracuse and Utica.

"And I’m very grateful for that support," Conole said. "I come from a union family, and as I said our unions built our middle class, built our region, built our country and are going to be absolutely critical to this growth going forward."

The growth he’s talking about is Micron’s plan to invest $100 billion in the community over the next 20 years to build a large computer chip fabrication center in the Town of Clay. The project grew out of the federal CHIPS Act, which provides manufacturing and research incentives for semiconductor companies like Micron. Conole said he’s met with Micron and talked about the union jobs that will be created, and says he's confounded by what he says is Republican Brandon Williams stand on the CHIPS Act.

“The Republican nominee wrote an op-ed this past summer in the Auburn Citizen, specifically taking aim a the bi-partisan CHIPS Act, which Congressman Katko voted for, only 24 Republicans broke with their party to vote for, and he called it corporate welfare," Conole said.

Williams, in a statement to WRVO, said he would have voted for the CHIPS Act because it’s a national security concern. He also said with Micron as an anchor tenant, he’ll be able to bring more manufacturers to the area if elected. The 22nd District includes all of Onondaga, Madison and Oneida Counties, and a portion of Oswego County.

Ellen produces news reports and features related to events that occur in the greater Syracuse area and throughout Onondaga County. Her reports are heard regularly in regional updates in Morning Edition and All Things Considered.