MN Teamsters Express Disappointment With Governor Walz's Line 3 Appeal!

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Joint Council 32 in Minneapolis, Minnesota today announced their disappointment with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for once again appealing the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission recommendations of the Enbridge Line 3 Project.

This $2.9 billion project would employ thousands of Minnesotans in Northern Minnesota in a time when good Union jobs are few and far between in this region. It has been estimated that this project would create over 4,200 Union construction jobs over a two-year period. These are jobs that are desperately needed in Minnesota especially while our current pandemic has negatively impacted many construction projects.

This 337-mile Minnesota project would also provide a $2 billion boost to the Minnesota economy during the design and construction phase, and another $334 million in payroll taxes alone. Our local economies would also get $162 million in construction-related spending that many of these small communities are in desperate need of.

"We are beyond upset and disappointed," said Lawrence Yoswa, President of Teamsters Joint Council 32. "We were assured that the first appeal was just a formality and that it would not delay these jobs. We feel that this new appeal will further delay this project and the jobs that come with it," Yoswa stated.

"After hundreds of public meetings that provided thousands of public comments and two positive recommendations from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, we believe this new appeal by the Minnesota Department of Commerce will once again delay digging trenches and dropping new pipe," said Roderick Alstead, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 346 in Duluth, MN. "It's difficult for our members in this industry, who are unemployed, to have faith that Governor Waltz will be supportive of this project."

As one of the largest Labor organizations, Teamsters Joint Council 32 is the umbrella organization of 12 Local Unions which represent in excess of 62,000 active and retired members in the State of Minnesota.

Contact:
Edward Reynoso, (612) 710-0944

SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 32