By Blake Jackson
In the U.S. presidential campaigns, Pennsylvania remains a pivotal swing state, with its focus firmly on energy.
As the nation's second-largest producer and exporter of fuels like natural gas and coal, the state's energy sector plays a crucial role.
Recent political decisions, such as a major candidate's reversal on a fracking ban, underscore the importance of these industries to voters.
Despite ongoing fracking in western Pennsylvania, jobs in the fossil fuel sector are diminishing, revealing a shift in the state's energy landscape.
Polls indicate widespread support among Pennsylvanians for expanding clean energy, a trend that spans both climate-conscious urban areas and the industrial workforce reliant on fossil fuels.
Reflecting this shift, a new advocacy group called Union Energy has been established by a coalition of trade unions. Led by the state's AFL-CIO president, Union Energy aims to ensure a fair transition for workers moving away from fossil fuels.
The coalition, including the AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania Building Trades, seeks to integrate clean energy jobs into the economy while maintaining high-quality union employment.
Union Energy's launch was marked by an event at a historic steel mill, symbolizing the transition to a cleaner industrial future. Recently, this mill received a federal grant to electrify its steel-production process, a significant step towards reducing emissions in steelmaking.
The involvement of unions in the energy transition goes beyond merely unionizing new clean energy jobs. Unions are essential in training a skilled workforce for this major industrial shift.
For instance, a new apprenticeship program in Pennsylvania aims to train workers to remediate abandoned oil and gas wells, addressing both environmental and job creation needs.
Unions also play a vital role in garnering political support for clean energy projects, as seen in successful campaigns in other states. A report from a research institute underscores the potential for ambitious, worker-centered efforts to decarbonize Pennsylvania’s economy across various sectors.
As the leader puts it, the goal is to achieve clean air and water while ensuring workers can provide for their families, a vision that increasingly seems attainable in Pennsylvania.
Photo Credit: istock-simplycreativephotography
Categories: Pennsylvania, Energy