Ed Hill, Jr., International Representative, Business Development for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 3rd District joined the America’s Workforce Union Podcast and discussed the importance of the PLA announced between the North American Building Trades Union (NABTU) and Equinor for the Empire Wind project off the coast of New York.
IBEW’s 3rd District is made up of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Recently, there was a PLA agreed to between NABTU and Equinor, the company tasked with handling the Empire Wind project in New York. Off-shore wind energy is a vital piece of the green energy future. A lot of work will be needed to bring the electricity from offshore to onshore, Hill said.
The PLA for the Empire Wind project covers the development of a port to get the equipment needed for the offshore turbines that need to be built. The Empire Wind project will be located off the coast of Brooklyn, NY and create at least 1,000 union jobs, Hill said. Hill also talked about the time it took to get the agreements together from the start of discussions with Empire Wind in 2012.
Not only is there a PLA for the project, but it also includes a Community Benefits Agreement. The project will have a local hiring priority, with a focus on the local underserved population. Hill said the mission of these agreements has always been to provide a path to the middle class for every American. By providing opportunities to the local community, these agreements will allow for a highly trained and educated worker trained by apprenticeship programs like IBEW Local 3’s in New York, Hill said.
Listen to the podcast to hear more from Hill on IBEW’s role in offshore wind and the green energy transition.
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