NC Gov. Cooper part of White House summit Wednesday

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will visit the White House on Wednesday for a summit with Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and others about workforce investments and use of American Rescue Plan funds.

Cooper is also chair of the Democratic Governors Association, which works to get more Democrats in governor’s mansions. Cooper and Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf will lead a session on American Rescue Plan workforce investments, which are federal funds allocated by state and local governments as part of the COVID-19 relief law.

The half-day summit in Washington will highlight ARP “workforce best practices” from governors, mayors and county leaders across the country, the White House said. Harris and Walsh will give speeches, and aside from Cooper and Wolf’s session, there will be panels with mayors, county leaders and labor and community leaders about workforce programs.

The White House said Cooper was invited because of North Carolina’s use of American Rescue Plan funds “to address the barriers holding back workers and expand opportunities for careers in high-growth fields offering good wages,” and referenced the childcare stabilization grant program, using funds for recruitment and retention of direct care workers and construction trade programs in the NC Community College System.

Harris and Walsh visited North Carolina together in March, where they spoke at Durham Technical Community College about union jobs, along with Cooper. North Carolina’s unionization rate is second lowest in the United States, after South Carolina. North Carolina has a ban on collective bargaining by public sector workers.

There is currently a 21% vacancy rate in state government jobs, with salaries being a key factor in recruitment and retention, state employees say. Cooper signed into law the 2022 budget on Monday giving state employees raises this year of 3.5%, which is well below inflation.

Since becoming chair of the DGA, Cooper’s name has been floated in Democratic circles as a possible candidate for president, though he has deflected questions about his interest. His second term as governor ends in 2024. Asked by The News & Observer in December about his post-gubernatorial plans, Cooper said “it really is way too early to talk.”

In North Carolina, the lieutenant governor is acting governor when the governor is out of state. The roles are not elected as a joint ticket. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is a Republican and is considering a run for governor. Cooper generally does not announce to Robinson or the public his plans to travel out of state. The N&O requested Cooper’s past travel schedule via a public records request in the spring but the request has not yet been fulfilled.

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