Why One Union That Endorsed Biden Already Has Buyer's Remorse

Leah Barkoukis | January 25, 2021 5:45 AM

President Biden made halting construction on the Keystone XL Pipeline one of his first priorities in office, and now, one union that endorsed him is having a change of heart about the new commander in chief.

“In revoking this permit, the Biden Administration has chosen to listen to the voices of fringe activists instead of union members and the American consumer on Day 1,” Mark McManus, president of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters, said last week. “Let me be very clear: When built with union labor by the men and women of the United Association, pipelines like Keystone XL remain the safest and most efficient modes of energy transportation in the world. Sadly, the Biden Administration has now put thousands of union workers out of work. For the average American family, it means energy costs will go up and communities will no longer see the local investments that come with pipeline construction.

“New advancements in technology mean that these pipelines are a low-carbon method of energy transportation and a critical part of delivering affordable energy while achieving our shared climate goals,” the statement continued. “Keystone XL would not only be constructed entirely by union labor, but it would be the first pipeline fully powered by renewable energy.”

In May, Biden’s campaign made clear his intention to kill the Keystone XL Pipeline, so it is puzzling why this union endorsed him three months later in the first place, touting his “long history of standing shoulder to shoulder with working families and his commitment to an all-of-the-above energy approach that will mean more UA jobs, protecting the hard-earned retirements of our members, and appointing union-friendly judges.”