STATEMENT ON NEW YORK’S HISTORIC RENEWABLE ENERGY JOB STANDARDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2021
CONTACT: Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director, jvockrodt@climatejobsny.org, 917-818-3143

CLIMATE JOBS NY STATEMENT ON NEW YORK’S HISTORIC RENEWABLE ENERGY JOB STANDARDS

The budget deal passed today represents a crucial step forward for promoting good family-sustaining, community-supporting union jobs in the renewable energy sector. We applaud Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and other key legislative leaders for adopting ground-breaking labor standards and economic-development provisions addressing construction, operations and maintenance, and manufacturing work in the sector.

Since our founding, Climate Jobs NY has prioritized climate action—from New York’s commitment to procure 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind power to doubling funding for solar on schools and beyond. And as we continue to push for action at the scale climate science demands, we must ensure that our collective investments both take on climate change and lift up New York workers and communities.

The budget bill passed today includes:

Prevailing wage and project labor agreement requirements for construction on renewable-energy projects that are 5 megawatts or larger

For operations and maintenance work, a requirement that system owners on projects 5 megawatts and larger enter into labor peace agreements

A requirement that covered projects buy American steel and iron where feasible

Provisions to incentivize procurement of New York State renewable energy equipment and supplies

We applaud today’s decisive action for New York workers and communities, and we look forward to continuing to work with our allies to build a clean-energy economy in New York that works for everyone, with good union jobs, more equitable communities, and a more resilient New York.

Gary LaBarbera, President of the New York State Building & Construction Trades Council and Climate Jobs NY Director, said, “This is excellent news for New York. This accomplishment reinforces that good middle-class careers with benefits must be—and now will be—central to our state’s sustainable economy. We’re grateful to Governor Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Stewart Cousins for their continued advocacy in support of our working men and women, and we look forward to continuing to work with these exceptional leaders in creating good jobs and economic opportunity as we build towards the future.”

Vincent Alvarez, President of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs NY Director, said, "We commend Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie for their leadership in moving this groundbreaking legislation, which will not only ensure that we're addressing the climate crisis but also creating good union jobs at all stages of work throughout the renewable energy system.”

Mario Cilento, President of the New York State AFL-CIO and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, "This is a tremendous victory that was made possible by working closely with our partners to address climate change in a way that will result in the creation of solid jobs utilizing a highly skilled workforce. We have set a high bar by securing historic labor standards that include prevailing rate, labor peace, Buy American and Buy New York when renewable energy credits are awarded on large scale projects."

Dennis Trainor, Vice President for CWA District One and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, "This year's budget deal takes a huge step towards ensuring that jobs created by New York's massive investment in offshore wind power—both temporary assembly and construction jobs and long-term operations, maintenance and manufacturing jobs—will be good jobs covered by high labor standards. We are particularly excited that the package contains important incentives to source wind turbine manufacturing in-state and that New York State is leveraging its investment to jump-start an in-state green manufacturing supply chain.”

Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37, AFSCME, and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member said, “New York is a labor town deserving of the gold standard in labor laws and practices. If we’re going to lead the way on saving the planet, we must use our union brothers and sisters to do so. I commend Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart- Cousins and Speaker Heastie on their commitment to New York's energy future and expanding the middle class by creating good, union jobs.”

William Lynn, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30 Business Manager, IUOE International Vice President, and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, “The foundation of a renewable energy economy must be family-sustaining, unionized jobs throughout every project. IUOE Local 30 members operate and maintain the power generation sector in New York State and we applaud our elected leaders in Albany for sharing in our vision of what a just economy means – one committed to not only what is good for our environment but also committed to solid union jobs that create strong communities and a voice for workers. The labor standards included in this bill for construction workers as well as operations and maintenance workers will go a long way to creating a just economy in this sector.”

John R. Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, “New York State has led the nation in the scope and scale of building a clean energy economy. The firm commitments in the state budget for strong labor standards, including project labor agreements, labor peace agreements, buy American provisions, and Build New York incentives will set the stage for economic recovery. These protections ensure working people will benefit from an improved environment and share in the prosperity created by investments in the renewable energy sector.”

Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director of Climate Jobs NY, said, "These basic labor standards and economic-development provisions are foundational for us as we continue to push for investment in climate action and green infrastructure at the scale science demands. We applaud Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and other key legislative leaders, as well as Governor Cuomo and his team for securing these standards for New York workers in the clean-energy economy."

Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, said, "New York is on a path to a green recovery. With a budget that prioritizes good-paying clean energy jobs and invests in environmental programs that will put families back to work, our state is fighting both the climate and fiscal crisis. Sustainability and the green economy have always been inextricably linked, and these important job standards are proof of that. We thank Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie for their leadership."

Rich Schrader, New York Policy and Legislative Director at the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), said, “Connecting renewable energy projects with livable wage standards in New York is a win-win for the environment, for workers, and for the economic recovery of the state. Promoting clean energy is essential to meeting the state’s climate goals, and working men and women supporting that fight deserve good opportunities and equitable treatment.”

Allison Considine, Sierra Club NY Campaign Representative, said, “Renewable energy is the future, and tying that future to good jobs with benefits is crucial to ensuring that as New York becomes a leader in sustainability, we also become a leader in fairness, equity, and opportunity for working people. Sustainability and the green economy have always been inextricably linked together, and these important job standards are proof of that.”

ABOUT CLIMATE JOBS NY

Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) is a growing coalition of labor unions—representing more than 2.6 million working New Yorkers—united to combat climate change and reverse inequality. CJNY’s mission is to advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York. CJNY’s members include the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the New York State AFL-CIO, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the Long Island Federation of Labor, CWA District One, Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Third District, the United Association Plumbers and Pipefitters in New York State, 32BJ SEIU, the New York State Nurses Association, Laborers International Union Local 79, AFSCME District Council 37, the Transport Workers Union of America, and Transport Workers Union Local 100.