EDF Renewables and Shell have agreed a memorandum of understanding with six unions in New Jersey as part of its bid in the state’s offshore wind procurement round.
The labor agreement covers training of local residents and tradespeople and the use of union labor and employers wherever possible, according to the Atlantic Shores JV.
It also covers support for the Helmets to Hardhats Program, which helps military and US Coast Guard personnel, as well as National Guardsmen and Reservists, transition into careers in offshore wind.
The MoU has been signed by Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Laborers’ International Union of North America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 456, Local 400 and Local 351, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825, Ironworkers International and Eastern Millwright Regional Council.
If selected, the wind project would create hundreds of direct local jobs and generate as much as 2.3GW of renewable energy, said the developer.
“Union labor helped to build New Jersey, and if our bid is selected, union labor will be central to building its renewable energy infrastructure and sustainable future,” said Joris Veldhoven, commercial director at Atlantic Shores.
“As a developer, we are proud to commit to working with these six unions, training and cultivating a robust offshore wind workforce. We hope this will serve as a model for local labor partnerships in the offshore wind industry.”