Backing Investment in Union Built Infrastructure
SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 49 has submitted a letter of support to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission regarding Blackstone Infrastructure’s proposed acquisition of TXNM Energy and its subsidiary, Public Service Company of New Mexico.
For Local 49, this issue is not just about ownership. It is about the future of energy infrastructure, the strength of the union workforce, and whether New Mexico workers will have a real opportunity to build what comes next.
Across New Mexico and West Texas, SMART members help build the systems that keep communities running. Our members fabricate and install ductwork, mechanical systems, rooftop and ground mount solar racking systems, battery storage enclosures, HVAC systems, and other critical infrastructure tied to power generation, commercial buildings, and energy upgrades.
As New Mexico continues moving through a major energy transition, that work matters more than ever.
The shift away from coal toward solar, wind, storage, grid modernization, and cleaner energy systems is not an abstract policy issue for Local 49 members. It affects where our members work, how apprentices are trained, and whether the next generation of sheet metal workers has access to steady, meaningful careers.
Major infrastructure does not build itself. It takes trained hands, proven skill, strong safety standards, and a workforce that understands the demands of complex mechanical and energy systems.
That is why Local 49 is speaking up.
Long term investment in New Mexico’s energy infrastructure can create the kind of steady work pipeline that supports union careers and strengthens apprenticeship training. When serious investment flows into the state, it gives training programs a reason to grow. It gives young people a clearer path into the trades. It gives Local 49 members the opportunity to keep building the future of New Mexico with pride.
Local 49 also believes that union labor must remain central to this work. Existing labor relationships, contractor partnerships, and the use of skilled local workers are essential to building projects safely, correctly, and with the quality New Mexico families deserve.
Solar installations, battery storage, transmission upgrades, commercial mechanical systems, and grid hardening projects all require experienced craft professionals. These are not projects where corners should be cut. They require registered apprenticeship training, strong labor standards, and workers who know the trade.
“We want New Mexico kids entering the trades to have a career, not just a job,” Local 49 shared in its letter of support. “That requires a steady stream of serious, long term projects.”
The stakes are real. New Mexico’s grid is facing pressure from growth, electrification, extreme weather, and changing energy demands. Without sustained investment, the state risks falling behind on the infrastructure needed to support families, businesses, and future development.
Local 49 believes New Mexico workers should be part of the solution.
As the state prepares for what comes next, SMART Local 49 stands ready to help build it. Our members have the training, skill, and work ethic to support a cleaner, stronger, more reliable energy future for New Mexico.
This is about more than one transaction. It is about making sure infrastructure investment creates good union jobs, supports apprenticeship opportunities, and keeps skilled local workers at the center of New Mexico’s future.
