Andy Black, president and CEO of the Association of Oil Pipe Lines has joined other unions condemning the Biden administration for cancelling the XL pipeline. Black told NPR that, “Killing 10,000 jobs and taking $2.2 billion in payroll out of workers’ pockets is not what Americans need or want right now.”
Union leadership had endorsed Biden, even while their membership was supportive of Trump. Now they’re calling Biden out for killing over 70,000 jobs the moment he signed his order last Wednesday.
“Pipeline construction has been a lifeline for many #LIUNA members across the country,” the Laborers’ International Union of North America said. “The anticipated decision to cancel the Keystone Pipeline will kill thousands of good-paying UNION jobs!”
In September, LIUNA “proudly” endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, claiming the Democrats “stand out as the blue-collar candidates.”
Just days after the Nov. 3 election, Terry O’Sullivan, General President of LIUNA, stated, “Together, we helped push Joe Biden and Kamala Harris over the top, and we helped elect many pro-union, pro-labor, and pro-family candidates to office.”
Then this week, the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters condemned the Biden administration.
“In revoking this permit, the Biden Administration has chosen to listen to the voices of fringe activists instead of union members and the American consumer on Day 1. Let me be very clear: When built with union labor by the men and women of the United Association, pipelines like Keystone XL remain the safest and most efficient modes of energy transportation in the world. Sadly, the Biden Administration has now put thousands of union workers out of work. For the average American family, it means energy costs will go up and communities will no longer see the local investments that come with pipeline construction,” said Mark McManus, General President of the United Association.
“Deeply disappointed,” the head of the North American Building Trades Unions, which endorsed then-candidate Biden in October, said.
–Dwight Widaman and wire services
