Earlier this month, new United Steelworkers (USW) members at Spanish wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa's operations in Ebensburg and Fairless Hills, Pa., voted to approve their first union contract, a three-year agreement, by an 80/20 margin.
"Gamesa is the only major wind turbine manufacturer that produces its blades, nacelles and towers in the United States," says Tom Conway, USW international vice president. "Our union is proud to partner with Gamesa to further grow their domestic manufacturing base and promote wind energy as a source of clean, renewable energy and good jobs."
The USW is a founding member of two other alliances advocating for good jobs and a clean environment: the Blue Green Alliance, founded with the Sierra Club, and the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of labor, environmental, business, and social justice organizations.
Gamesa's investment in creating manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania was made possible by tax incentives and the adoption of a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for the state urged by Governor Rendell, Environmental Secretary Kathleen McGinty, Pennsylvanias State Legislature, the Apollo Alliance and the USW.
The USW has 850,000 members across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, including 600 new members at Gamesa in Pennsylvania.
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