The 2,148 Mile Long Pipeline In The Room

Obama Will Speak To The Same Union Members Hurt By His Decision To Kill The Keystone Pipeline

President Obama Is Scheduled To Speak To The AFL-CIO’s Building And Construction Trades Department During Their 2012 National Legislative Conference.“The Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO announced today that President Barack Obama is scheduled to address the delegates to the Department’s 2012 National Legislative Conference on April 30, 2012 in Washington, D.C.” (“President Obama To Address America’s Building Trades Unions’ National Legislative Conference On April 30,”Reuters, 3/23/12)

THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE BECAUSE IT WOULD CREATE JOBS FOR UNION MEMBERS

Mark Ayers, President Of The Building And Construction Trades Department Of The AFL-CIO, Stated “Our Unions Have Been Steadfast Supporters Of The Keystone XL Pipeline.” “‘Our unions have been steadfast supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that is truly “shovel-ready” and a privately funded endeavor that would put significant numbers of American skilled craft professionals back to work under a project agreement that ensures safe and efficient construction,’ said Mark Ayers, president of the Building and Construction Trades Department, an AFL-CIO-affiliated group, in a statement.” (Justin Sink, “Despite Battles Over Keystone And Jobs Council, AFL-CIO Endorses Obama,” The Hill , 3/13/12)

• Watch The Building And Construction Trades Promotion Video For The Keystone XL Pipeline

Mark Ayers In The Huffington Post: “For the 99% of Americans, Keystone = JOBS”

• Ayers: “ For America’s Skilled Craft Construction Professionals, Any Discussion Of The Keystone XL Project Begins And Ends With One Word: JOBS.” (Mark H. Ayers, Op-Ed, “For The 99% Of Americans, Keystone = Jobs,”The Huffington Post, 11/3/11)
• Ayers: “Throughout America’s Heartland, The Keystone Pipeline Represents The Prospect For 20,000 Immediate Jobs, And As Many As 500,000 Indirect Jobs Via A Strong Economic Multiplier Effect.” (Mark H. Ayers, Op-Ed, “For The 99% Of Americans, Keystone = Jobs,” The Huffington Post, 11/3/11)
• Ayers: Keystone Opponents Are “Presenting The Tired Old False Choice Of Energy Vs. The Environment.” “The unfortunate aspect of their opposition is that they are trying to kill the Keystone project by presenting the tired old false choice of energy vs. the environment.” (Mark H. Ayers, Op-Ed, “For The 99% Of Americans, Keystone = Jobs,” The Huffington Post, 11/3/11)
• Ayers: “There Can Be No Question That The Keystone XL Pipeline Project Serves America’s National Security Interests.” (Mark H. Ayers, Op-Ed, “For The 99% Of Americans, Keystone = Jobs,” The Huffington Post, 11/3/11
• Ayers: “The Privately-Financed Keystone XL Pipeline Project Is Projected To Create Tens Of Thousands Of U.S. Jobs In Construction And Manufacturing, And Without One Single Dollar Of Government Assistance.” (Mark H. Ayers, Op-Ed, “For The 99% Of Americans, Keystone = Jobs,”The Huffington Post, 11/3/11)

Laborers’ International Union Of North America: “Most Of The Unions On The Building And Construction Trades Are Aligned On This . . . We’re Totally In Agreement That We Want To Build This Pipeline And Do It Safely.” “‘Most of the unions on the building and construction trades are aligned on this,’ said Jaclyn Houser, a spokeswoman for the union. ‘We’re totally in agreement that we want to build this pipeline and do it safely.'” (William McQuillen, “Labor Leaders Debate Keystone Pipeline At AFL-CIO Meeting”, Businessweek , 3/13/12)

BUT OBAMA DECIDED TO PLAY POLITICS RATHER THAN CREATE JOBS

“In A Politically Explosive Decision,” Obama Rejected The Keystone Pipeline, Delaying A Tough Choice Until After The November Elections. “In a politically explosive decision, President Barack Obama on Wednesday rejected plans for a massive oil pipeline through the heart of the United States, ruling there was not enough time for a fair review before a looming deadline forced on him by Republicans. His move did not kill the project but could again delay a tough choice for him until after the November elections.” (Ben Feller and Matthew Daly, “Obama Rejects Canada-Texas Oil Pipeline-For Now,” The Associated Press, 1/18/12)

The Decision To Kill Keystone Was “No Brainer Election-Year Politics” To Appease The Democrat Party’s Donor Base And Environmental Advocates. “The decision was predictable simply because it was politically beneficial to all parties involved as they gear up for a 2012 campaign likely to be decided by voter enthusiasm and untold corporate millions, operatives on both sides of the issue say. The GOP has an issue that resonates with independents paying $3.50 a gallon for gas and the petroleum industry likely to pump millions into Republican campaigns and super PACs. And for all the pounding he’s taking from Republicans, industry and labor unions, Obama’s decision Wednesday is no-brainer election-year politics. Democrats outside the West Wing and Chicago-based campaign say the politics were clear: With the exceptions of the grousing unions (who will have no choice but to support him in 2012), the party’s donor base, environmental advocates down to their hybrid SUVs oppose the pipeline.” (Glenn Thrush and Darren Samuelsohn, “Keystone Call A Political Win-Win,” Politico, 1/18/12)

AFL-CIO Building And Construction Trades Department President Mark Ayers: “These Issues Have Now Been Usurped And Transformed Into Political Pawns.” “‘Regrettably, both of these issues have now been usurped and transformed into political pawns, where political posturing supersedes the need to create sound public policy that benefits working Americans.'” (Justin Sink, “Despite Battles Over Keystone And Jobs Council, AFL-CIO Endorses Obama,” The Hill , 3/13/12)

OBAMA’S JOBS KILLING KEYSTONE DECISION ANGERED LABORERS

AFL-CIO Building And Construction Trades Department President Mark Ayers : President Obama’s Keystone Decision Shows His Words “We Can’t Wait” “Ring Hollow.” “Today, the words ‘We Can’t Wait’ truly ring hollow for skilled craft construction professionals across this nation. Those are the words that have been uttered by President Obama time and time again as he states he will work around an obstructionist U.S. Congress to take action to address our nation’s continuing unemployment crisis. One clear opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to unemployed Americans was the approval of the construction permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.” (Press Release, “BCTD President Ayers Statement On Withdrawal Of Keystone XL,” Building And Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO , 1/18/12)

The Laborers’ International Union Of North America Called Obama’s Decision “Politics At Its Worst.” “‘The score is Job-Killers, two; American workers, zero. We are completely and totally disappointed. This is politics at its worst,’ LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan said. ‘Once again the President has sided with environmentalists instead of blue collar construction workers – even though environmental concerns were more than adequately addressed. Blue collar construction workers across the U.S. will not forget this.'” (Press Release, “Job-Killers, 2; American Workers, 0,” Laborers’ International Union Of North America, 1/18/12)

• Laborers’ International Union Of North America President Terry O’Sullivan:“Instead of celebrating their victory by hugging a tree they should hug a jobless construction worker because they’re the ones who are going to need it.” Release, “Job-Killers, 2; American Workers, 0,” Laborers’ International Union Of North America, 1/18/12)
• Laborers’ International Union Of North America: “The Project Would Create Thousands Of Good Jobs At A Time When Unemployment In The Construction Industry Is 16 Percent With 1.3 Million Men And Women Jobless.” Release, “Job-Killers, 2; American Workers, 0,” Laborers’ International Union Of North America, 1/18/12)

• Laborer’s Union President Said “Unions And Environmental Groups” “Have Kicked Our Members In The Teeth” And “Destroy Our Members’ Lives.”“‘Unions and environmental groups that have no equity in the work have kicked our members in the teeth,’ O’Sullivan said. ‘And anger is an understatement as to how we feel about it. We’re not sitting at the same table as people that destroy our members’ lives.'” (Darren Goode, “Keystone Pipeline Sparks Labor Civil War,”Politico, 1/20/12)

Obama Keystone Rejection Has Continued The Suffering For Union Workers In The Unemployment Line. “With union workers needing the jobs and also suffering from high gasoline prices that may eventually be alleviated from the pipeline, union management is in a tight spot if it doesn’t support the pipeline, Craver said. ‘A lot of people in the unemployment line who would get jobs from it would benefit from more oil in this country too and would be upset if they don’t allow it,’ Craver said.” (William McQuillen, “Labor Leaders Debate Keystone Pipeline At AFL-CIO Meeting”, Businessweek , 3/13/12)