IUE-CWA President Kennebrew & USW District 1 Director Blatt Speak to Congress About Manufacturing Jobs
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) convened a roundtable with labor leaders to discuss the future of America's energy workforce and the policies needed to create good-paying union jobs, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and build the energy infrastructure to power the nation.
During the roundtable, Heinrich highlighted his newly introduced Pre-Apprenticeships to Hardhats (PATH) Act legislation to strengthen the pipeline to high-quality careers by expanding access to registered pre-apprenticeship programs, addressing workforce shortages, and connecting more Americans with the skills needed to fill in-demand jobs across the energy, manufacturing, and construction sectors.
“USW members proudly work in a wide variety of industries critical to supporting clean energy, including steel, aluminum, cement, glass, and more,” said USW District 1 Director Donnie Blatt. "As we look to secure a strong future for workers and their communities, we must continue investing in next-generation technologies, building an economy that supports good union jobs, while also keeping us competitive on the global stage.
Participants spoke about the need for renewed investment in clean energy manufacturing, bringing jobs and opportunities back to the U.S.
“Manufacturing has always been the backbone of our economy. However, for more than 20 years, there has been no U.S.-based production of offshore wind equipment by any company—it remains an entirely foreign-produced industry," said IUE/CWA President Carl Kennebrew. “The transition toward clean energy provides a historic opportunity to revitalize communities and establish a domestic manufacturing supply chain, using union labor here in the U.S."