Politics & Government

Union Members: Power Plant a Panacea

Potential of hundreds of construction jobs could help alleviate unemployment in skilled trades.

Jim Chew, president of Boilermakers Local 28, and union member and West Deptford resident Bob Fenton couldn't believe they were the only members of the public who turned out to hear whether the township planning board would approve a proposed natural gas-fired power plant Tuesday night.

Especially because it could mean hundreds of construction jobs.

Especially because their union, like many others, is experiencing high rates of unemployment–as high as 65 to 70 percent, Chew said.

"This is it. This is the one," Chew said of the plant's potential to put a lot of skilled laborers back to work at once.

From building the boilers to the pressure gauges to the stacks, Chew thinks 100 of his union members could be put to work immediately, not to mention electricians and ironworkers and other skilled trades workers, whose unions are also running at 50 percent or more unemployment.

And everyone in the community can prosper from a project like the power plant, Chew said, pointing out that skilled workers who are out of a job can't spend money.

"You've got to keep your backbone working, and the backbone is skilled labor," he said. "You keep your backbone working, they're spending money in your stores, they're putting money back into the economy."

Tom Hoatson, director of development and regulatory affairs for LS Power, had previously said the project could employ as many as 500 construction workers temporarily.


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