GLBCTC Business Manager Joe Wise Speaks to the News Reporters about the Local Jobs for Local Workers Campaign & LG&E while Local Union Members Rally.

LOCAL JOBS FOR LOCAL WORKERS

The Greater Louisville Building & Construction Trades Council started the “Local Jobs for Local Workers” campaign in January of 2005 to bring to the public’s attention that many out of state workers were doing construction at LG&E facilities. As citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and local rate payers we believe it is not right to bring in workers from out of state while qualified workers from Kentucky remain unemployed. The wages paid to these out-of-state workers only goes to support the communities in other states.

In 2004 LG&E Energy announced that it would spend $2.3 billion in capital improvements of its facilities. Of this approximately $1 billion would be used to construct a new 750 megawatt generating facility at the Trimble County site.

Building Trades attempt to secure Local Jobs for Local Workers

• Negotiated with LG&E in 2001 to secure work on $500 million worth pollution control project. Negotiations were not successful in formalizing an agreement, however LG&E stated that local jobs for local workers was important to the company and contracting language would include such. This work is completed today and 80% went to workers out of the state.
• Negotiated with LG&E in 2004 – 2005 to secure work on $1 billion Trimble County 2 and $600 million on pollution control work. Formal agreement has not been reach.
• Labor market counties are composed of counties within a 60-minute drive of the Trimble County site. (KY Economic Development Cabinet) 18,000 skilled building trades workers live in this labor market. (BCTD)
• Economic impact of Trimble 2
  – This project will create on average 600 construction jobs for over three years and with any new major construction there will be up to 900 indirect jobs create though a “multiplier” effect.

Solution- Project Labor Agreement

It is a comprehensive pre-hire collective bargaining agreement that establishes standardized conditions and wages for all contractors and subcontractors which would include a local workforce, on a PLA covered project.

Project Labor Agreements

Power Industry

• East Kentucky Power
  – Spurlock Station, Maysville
  – Cooper Station, Burnside
  – J.K Smith, Trapp
  – Dale Station, Ford, KY
• Cynergy
  – East Bend, Rabbit Hash
  – Miami Fort, Cincinnati
  – Zimmer Station, Moscow, OH
• AEP
  – Big Sandy, Louisa
  – Clifty Creek, Madison, IN
• TVA
  – Paradise, Drakesboro
  – Shawnee, Paducah
• Erora Group
  – Cache Creek, Owensboro*