Recovery brings labor, business together

In emphasizing the mutual need for recovery among labor and business, Tom Melcher and Morgan O’Brien in their May 29 oped, “Finding Common Cause,” also call attention to commonsense focus areas that are critical to Pennsylvania’s overall recovery.

Those areas include prioritizing infrastructure and encouraging private investment. Since COVID-19 put a drastic dent in the state’s budget, private investment is key to providing a muchneeded boost to the economy by putting Pennsylvanians back to work as well as keeping construction and manufacturing in state.

Although public funds are limited, an approximately $1 billion private investment in energy infrastructure is in discussion through House Bill 1100. With no upfront costs, House Bill 1100 creates jobs and enables further development of energy infrastructure so that what remains of the state budget may go towards other pressing needs. In addition, H.B. 1100 upholds the pursuit of a cleaner energy future for Pennsylvania as it utilizes dry natural gas which has already contributed to substantial decreases in Pennsylvania’s carbon emissions.

There is no place for partisanship or polarity between labor and business, especially now when acting in opposition will only add to the deprivation from which we are only beginning to recover. However, of the many COVID-19-related changes, the reevaluation of the relationship between labor and business is one with potential to lead to permanent change for the better. A change that not only leads to recovery, but to prosperity for labor, business, and the commonwealth. DENNIS L. MARTIRE

Reston, Va.