Northern Wisconsin Building and Construction Trades Council, WI AFL-CIO Sign a Letter of Intent for a Project Labor Agreement with Minnesota Power to Ensure Safe, Good-Paying Union Jobs Build Nemadji Trail Energy Center
(Superior, Wisconsin) — The Northern Wisconsin Building and Construction Trades Council, WI AFL-CIO has signed a Letter of Intent for a Project Labor Agreement with Minnesota Power, construction and operating agent, to ensure the construction of the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) is done with high-quality union labor. A Project Labor Agreement will support high-wages and safety on site for the building of the Nemadji Trail Energy Center Project. NTEC is a $700 million state-of-the-art natural gas plant proposed to be built in Superior that will maintain energy service when renewable resources like solar and wind are not available.
The Letter of Intent was signed at the Wisconsin AFL-CIO Building Trades Council Conference in Superior.
“The Nemadji Trail Energy Center Project will be an economic boom for Superior and Douglas County,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. “Good union jobs build and sustain our American middle class. A Project Labor Agreement requires that any work done building the NTEC will be a family-supporting union job with strict safety enforcement and high workplace standards."
“The Nemadji Trail Energy Center Project will be a momentous economic surge for our community, bringing jobs and power to our area. A Project Labor Agreement means that local workers will benefit from this historic project and that good wages and high safety standards will be required on the job site,” said Kyle Bukovich, President of the Northern Wisconsin Building & Construction Trades, WI AFL-CIO. “The NTEC Project will create 350 construction jobs at peak construction over the span of four years. Our community needs this project. The NTEC will help meet increased demand for electricity and support our grid to ensure safe, reliable power that balances our energy resources.”
“The signing of the letter of intent for a project labor agreement demonstrates our long-standing partnership with labor. The Building & Construction Trades Council has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us through every step of the planning, development and regulatory process for this state-of-the-art, combined-cycle natural gas plant that will safeguard reliability as more renewable energy is added to the grid,” said Todd Simmons, Minnesota Power vice president of Generation Operations. “We look forward to the start of construction and continuing our relationship to help build strong communities where everyone can thrive while advancing a clean-energy future.”