Unions that supported Joe Biden are having serious second thoughts.
Back on September 7, Terry O’Sullivan, president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), couldn’t say enough nice things about the Democrat Party’s candidate for president:
After discussions with our leaders and members, the General Executive Board of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) unanimously, enthusiastically, and proudly endorses Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris for President and Vice President of the United States of America….
Joe Biden is one of us; he knows, first hand, the trials and tribulations faced by working men and women across this country.… Over the crucial next few months, the 500,000 strong, proud, and united men and women of LIUNA will be on the front lines relentlessly working to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and leading the way to fulfill their mantra of “Build Back Better.”
Following Biden’s executive order canceling construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, O’Sullivan was singing a much different tune. His union tweeted:
#Pipeline construction has been a lifeline for many #LIUNA members across the country. The anticipated decision to cancel the #KeystonePipeline will kill thousands of good-paying #UNION jobs!
Another union leader oblivious to Biden’s stated intentions to “go green” at any cost — including the emasculation of the traditional energy industry in the United States — was Sean McGarvey, president of the North American Building Trades Unions. He and his union members endorsed Biden, but following Biden’s EO canceling the project he said that he and his union were “deeply disappointed in the decision,” adding that “Environmental ideologues have now prevailed,” costing thousands of jobs as a result.
The head of the 500,000-member United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA), Mark McManus, endorsed Biden:
This endorsement is about putting UA members to work and fighting for fair wages and good benefits. Under a Biden Administration, that’s exactly what we’ll get.
Let’s be real: nobody in the Oval Office will be with us on every single issue. But with his long history of standing shoulder to shoulder with working families and his commitment to an all-of-the-above energy approach that will mean more UA jobs, protecting the hard-earned retirements of our members, and appointing union-friendly judges, Joe Biden will be a fierce ally to our UA Brothers and Sisters in the White House.
On Monday, McManus reversed course:
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.
Perhaps these union leaders can’t read, or perhaps they refused to believe what they heard when Stef Feldman, Biden’s policy director, said back in May that Biden would “proudly stand in the Roosevelt Room again as President and stop it for good by rescinding the Keystone XL pipeline permit.”
Not just the unions are pushing back against Biden’s order. Josh Senk, general manager of Michels Corporation, a Wisconsin pipeline contractor, said that halting construction “has affected Michels, thousands of union trade members across the country, and hundreds of guys who specifically work in Wisconsin.”
New Mexico will be negatively impacted by Biden’s policies due to the huge amount of the state that is federal land. Half of the state’s oil production happens on federal land, and generates hundreds of millions of dollars in wages and royalties. Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway called out the president’s hypocrisy:
During his inauguration, President Biden spoke about bringing our nation together. Eliminating drilling on public lands will cost thousands of New Mexicans their jobs and destroy what’s left of our state’s economy. How does that bring us together?
Environmental efforts should be fair and well-researched, not knee-jerk mandates that just hurt an already impoverished state.
Five hundred thousand New Mexican voters voted for Biden compared to 400,000 for President Trump. They will now enjoy the sour fruit of their decision.
Biden has also managed to outrage America’s neighbor to the north with his edict. The Alberta government has invested $1.5 billion (Canadian) in the pipeline and its premier, Jason Kenney, said “this is a gut punch for the Canadian and Alberta economies.” He is threatening legal action and sanctions against the Biden administration and the United States over Biden’s move.
Biden has also managed to damage the climate he so dearly adores. As American Thinker wrote, “Instead of getting more environmentally friendly, the carbon footprint from that oil will be increased substantially because it will be shipped by trucks and trains above ground instead of through underground pipe.”
The burden will fall on the American consumer, who will pay more not only for gasoline but for the myriad other byproducts emanating from petroleum.
It’s not even three weeks since the fraud-ridden election put Biden into the White House and already voters — especially union members — are having serious second thoughts.
Related article:
Killing XL Pipeline Won’t Make U.S. Greener, but Will Force Reliance on Trucks and Trains
