UA Local 85 business manager to be Sen. Gary Peters State Of The Union virtual guest

SAGINAW, Mich. (WJRT) - A Saginaw man will have the honor and privilege of being U.S. Senator Gary Peters virtual guest for Tuesday's State of the Union Address.

Justin Pomerville is the business manager and financial secretary for UA Local 85 which represents HVAC workers, plumbers and steam fitters from across 29 counties in northern Michigan.

Both Pomerville and Peters will be highlighting the bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed by congress last year and what it means for the Michigan economy.

It's been around 100 days since Congress passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, pumping more than $500 billion into new infrastructure projects across the U.S.

That means things like roads, bridges, water infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations and protecting our Great Lakes.

At the local level, it's a lot of excitement for people like Pomerville.

"It's probably the most monumental piece of legislation we've had in our lifetime. I'm certain of it, we have a crumbling infrastructure," he said. 

UA Local 85 represents more than 1,000 people who work in the skilled trades, like plumbing, HVAC and pipe fitting. They also offer an apprenticeship program and focus on helping veterans transitioning off active duty.

This infusion of funding will only mean good things for these workers, the new jobs that will come out of this investment and our economy as a whole.

"They're going to pay a fair wage, it's going to be with benefits, it's going to benefit his constituents, and that's what Senator Peters has always been about is taking care of Michiganders," said Pomerville. 

"This is a massive infusion into rebuilding roads and bridges and the infrastructure that makes our country great," said Peters. 

Those who are interested can catch President Biden's State of the Union address live on ABC12 at 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night.