Labor Unions Respond to Empire Wind 1 Stop Work Order Being Lifted
Today, the federal stop work order on Empire Wind 1 was lifted, allowing offshore construction to resume on the project. Labor unions from the Climate Jobs New York coalition issued the following statements in response:
Offshore wind means good, union jobs for New Yorkers. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of Governor Hochul, our building trades members are ready to resume construction on Empire Wind 1,” said Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “Empire Wind will generate paychecks and power homes for working families across the state for years to come. Let’s keep putting more union shovels in the ground as New York leads the way toward energy independence and a more sustainable future.”
“Union workers are ready to get back to work on Empire Wind 1, a project that will deliver clean energy to half a million homes, help drive down energy prices, and support thousands of jobs,” said Vincent Alvarez, President of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “We’re grateful to Governor Hochul for reaching this critically important agreement. Offshore wind is a vital part of our energy mix — a domestic resource that creates union jobs and strengthens our grid. Let’s get back to work powering our future.”
“Governor Hochul’s leadership and commitment to Long Island’s working families, and President Trump’s decision to rescind the stop work order on Empire Wind I, are critical for Long Island’s energy future. This project is supporting thousands of union jobs, has generated millions in local investment, and is critical to a more reliable energy system. It enhances our energy independence, strengthens our communities, and puts Americans to work building out our manufacturing supply chain. The working people of Long Island are ready to get back to work,” said John R. Durso, President, Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.
“Today, we celebrate the sequel to The Empire Strikes Back. The Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is deeply grateful to everyone who supported the Equinor Project. We extend our sincere thanks to the President for protecting the jobs of thousands of skilled tradespeople—and to Governor Hochul for her continued leadership and support of New York’s union workforce,” said Matthew Aracich, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
“The agreement to advance the Empire Wind 1 project is excellent news for our union members and for New York. This represents a significant victory for our members, who are eager to return to work building a clean energy future,” stated Paul Capurso, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the NYC District Council of Carpenters. “We want to express our gratitude to everyone involved in ensuring this project moved forward. Their commitment to collaboration and progress has helped secure good-paying union jobs for our members, contributing to a project that will power communities, support families, and further clean energy goals.”
“Bridge painters in DC9 Local 806 have waited with bated breath for several weeks to find out if we could get to work on our jobs coating wind turbines for Empire Wind 1. Our members have put in many hours of training to get certified to work safely offshore. We’re grateful that our hard work can be put to use, now that the stop work order on Empire Wind 1 has been lifted,” said Joseph Azzopardi, Business Manager/Secretary Treasurer for District Council 9, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. “We are grateful to everyone who advocated for this outcome and negotiated this agreement to get Empire Wind back on track.
“Empire Wind 1 is a generational project that will create thousands of jobs, power New York with reliable electricity, and invest millions of dollars in our port infrastructure,” said Michael Prohaska, Business Manager of Laborers’ Local 79. “Our members have spent years preparing for these jobs, and now they can get back to serving our communities and supporting their families. Thank you to all the advocates and officials who worked to make sure that Empire Wind 1 will become a reality.”
“Local Union #3, IBEW is thrilled that the administration has decided to allow the Empire Wind 1 Project to proceed. There was so much at stake for the renewable energy industry, the union employees who would be performing the work, and the opportunities for the surrounding communities to participate in the project. We also hope the grant that was awarded to our industry’s training fund from the US Economic Development Administration proceeds without any further delay, and that we will be able to construct the Offshore Wind Training Facility to complete the necessary training to certify the tradesmen and tradeswomen in order to work on these energy projects,” said Christopher Erikson, Business Manager, Local 3 IBEW.
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Climate Jobs New York (CJNY) is a coalition of labor unions representing 2.6 million working people at the center of New York’s economy. We are united around a shared goal of combating climate change while reversing income 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.