Jason Shedlock, President of the Maine Building and Construction Trades Council, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the new bill introducing Project Labor Agreements for offshore wind farm development in Maine. Shedlock also talked about a new training center opened by LIUNA and the importance of organizing the new offshore wind industry now.
“A PLA is a three-letter abbreviation, but in Maine, it sometimes feels like a four-letter word.” That is how Shedlock summed up the fight for a bill requiring PLAs for offshore wind farm development. Shedlock discussed the process required to clarify the language in the bill, so it was clear that both union and non-union contractors can bid on jobs. He also shared some of the labor protections workers can expect when taking a job in the development of offshore wind farms.
The New England Region of LIUNA recently opened a new training facility in Maine to support the new energy development projects coming to the area. While many don’t consider Maine an example of a strong energy development state, Shedlock explained why Maine is a perfect home for renewable energy. The new training facility will help fill local jobs with future Laborers trained in the state. With the new facility comes new programs to better train future Laborers in developing energy industries.
After getting the PLA requirements passed by the governor, it is now up to the building trades to man the jobs with good union workers. Recruiting and organizing efforts are in full swing for the trades, Shedlock said. Now that non-union workers will get a taste of prevailing wage and the protections from a PLA, Shedlock believes they can organize more non-union contractors. It’s an opportunity many non-union workers wouldn’t want to give up after experiencing the improvements to their everyday work and life, he added.
Press the play button above to hear about more of the offshore wind farms in Maine.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, American Alliance for Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North America, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Survey and Ballot Systems, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.
