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From being heard around the world to same-sex marriage to the Affordable Care Act, Massachusetts has been at the forefront of the most important issues of our time. This month, with the signing of a Project Work Agreement to begin work on the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project, the state is once again a leader – in the clean energy revolution of the 21st century.
This project employment contract between the Southeastern Massachusetts Building Trades Council and Vineyard Wind will kick off work on the first large-scale offshore wind project in the United States and create 500 union jobs in construction, installation and maintenance. These positions will offer unique salaries and benefits and workforce development opportunities. These won’t be jobs that come and go with the wind, but clean energy careers that stand the test of time, support families and open up new opportunities for the highly skilled workforce of the world. ‘State.
This agreement will create a new, diverse pool of workers for Vineyard Wind and beyond, which will usher in a new era for clean energy technologies. Many of these workers will come from surrounding communities that have been directly affected by economic and energy challenges and climate change. With an investment of over half a million dollars, low-income residents and communities of color will have increased access to pre-apprenticeship and recruitment programs, which will help train and diversify our workforce. works to create opportunities for those who have often been abandoned. out of the US economy.
This historic announcement is a reminder that the days of pitting work against climate action are over. Unionized workers will carry the banner of the clean energy revolution. But continuing to open up opportunities and secure job training is essential to ensure that unions – the backbone of the American workforce – lead the way in the green economy. We need to identify the gaps in the offshore wind industry workforce and offer grants to higher education institutions and labor organizations to meet these workforce needs. Grants can support training through registered apprenticeship programs, financial assistance, and apprenticeship education for new and incumbent workers to ensure unionized workers build our offshore wind revolution.
Congress is also poised to fuel the offshore wind industry by passing new tax credits and extending existing wind and solar credits as part of current budget and infrastructure negotiations. This will be essential in encouraging the development of green energy infrastructure in Massachusetts and the country. We must also work to ensure that these credits support the deployment of unionized workers in the development of clean energy. By including current salary requirements and the use of registered learnings in our tax code, we can protect wages and labor standards and ensure clean energy work is performed to the highest standards.
Vineyard Wind will be the first of many upcoming offshore wind projects, and the state can use its innovation and commitment to the opportunity to show the rest of the country how to get steel in water, clean energy. on the network and union jobs for workers. They are ready to meet the demands of this industry, and Vineyard Wind and the Massachusetts building trades will serve as a model for the rest of the country as we build our clean energy future.
Edward J. Markey is a United States Senator from Massachusetts. Frank Callahan is president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council.
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