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OPA News Release: [01/17/2002]
Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao’s Statement at Today’s Meeting
With Labor Leaders
WASHINGTON -- Secretary Chao met today with President Bush to
discuss his energy plan with labor leaders and cabinet officials and released
the following statement:
“I want to thank the President for his tremendous leadership in
presenting a bold, optimistic vision for solving our nation’s energy
needs.
“I also want to thank President James Hoffa of the Teamsters,
President Doug McCarron of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, President Mike
Sacco of the Seafarers and President Ed Sullivan of the AFL-CIO Building and
Construction Trades for standing shoulder-to-shoulder to promote a
comprehensive energy plan for America.
“In tough economic times, the Department of Labor is the Department
of Jobs. Americans want to work. They want to provide for their families and
meet their responsibilities. Americans would rather have a job than an
unemployment check any day of the week.
“The Teamsters estimate that just one part of the President’s
energy plan -- opening a small section of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
to environmentally-responsible energy exploration -- will create 735,000 jobs.
Just transporting the oil production from ANWR will require a new fleet of 19
tankers, and building those tankers will create more than 90,000 jobs across
the country.
“The metalworkers we need to build new power plants make over $700
a week. The electricians and steamfitters we need make about the same and
stationary engineers can make even more.
“Together, we can give America an energy infrastructure for the
21st century that will create growth and take our country out of
recession and into renewed prosperity.
“But first, the president’s plan has to be approved by the
U.S. Senate. Now it’s time for the Senate to get to work -- by passing the
president’s energy plan.”
James Hoffa Jr., president of the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters; Doug McCarron, president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners of America; Mike Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union;
Ed Sullivan, president of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades
Department; Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Interior Secretary Gale Norton
also participated in today’s event.
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