Energy workers deserve economic and cultural respect. They are the unsung heroes of modern society - ensuring that our homes are warm, our devices charged, and our industries humming. Everything we rely on for a high-quality life, from the electricity in our homes to the materials in countless products, largely comes from fossil fuels.
Energy is a Working-Class Issue
Energy is working-class issue. Energy jobs are family-sustaining careers with competitive wages that help build the middle class. These roles often require specialized skills and training, offering pathways for economic mobility and career growth.
This isn’t just about direct jobs. One power generation job creates several ancillary jobs in transportation, equipment manufacturing, and local services. Workers’ spending supports retail and service jobs, while counties rely on tax revenue from these jobs to fund essential services like school districts and aging and community programs.
Policymakers can’t claim to be “pro-worker” or “pro-working-class” if they enact laws that eliminate these vital jobs and leave blue-collar communities hollow. Suggesting fossil fuel energy workers just “retrain” is as dismissive as saying laid-off federal employees can effortlessly transition into unrelated industries. Pennsylvania’s energy workers are some of the most highly-skilled tradesmen, and we are proud of our role in keeping America prosperous, energy dominant, powered, and safe!
IBEW Local 459 Powers Pennsylvania
The hardworking men and women of our union are the backbone of Pennsylvania, building, powering, and protecting our communities and country. At the fossil-fueled stations like Keystone, Conemaugh, Seward, and Shawville, our crews generate the electricity that keeps Pennsylvania and surrounding states lit up and running smoothly, warding off blackouts and brownouts that would disrupt millions of homes and businesses. We also have our hands in hydroelectric facilities, crucial for a comprehensive energy strategy.
Our linemen are highly skilled workers who install, maintain, and repair the intricate web of power lines that deliver electricity from power plants to homes, businesses, and industries. Linemen tackle all kinds of conditions, often facing challenging environments to make sure power outages are quickly resolved and the grid stays steady and efficient.
It’s “Both/And” not “Either/Or”
IBEW Local 459 rejects the false choice between environmental stewardship and energy production. Both goals are complementary. Our power plants are equipped with extensive pollution control systems, and the Seward Generating Station remediates coal waste sites by using waste coal for generation, thus cleaning up Pennsylvania’s waterways and restoring ecosystems.
Supporting a domestic all of the above energy strategy is a moral, economic, and national security imperative. This strategy must include coal-fired power, crucial for the baseload power supply essential for industries, hospitals, and military operations. Coal-fired power ensures energy security during extreme weather events or natural disasters, where renewables, which can be intermittent, may not fully meet demands.
“Policymakers can’t claim to be “pro-worker” or “pro-working-class” if they enact laws that eliminate these vital jobs and leave blue-collar communities hollow. ”
