October 26, 2017
New York

Workers protest hiring practices at wind farm

Members of the New York State Laborers Organizing Fund on Wednesday blasted the hiring of out-of-state workers who were not paid a prevailing wage to construct a wind farm in Lewis County.

The laborers rallied outside of the the Roosevelt Hotel, where the American Wind Energy Association investor conference was being held in New York City, protesting EDF Renewable Energy’s hiring practices, the California-based company involved in the wind farm project.

“EDF’s decision to use an out-of state contractor to perform work being subsidized by New York tax dollars is a disgrace,” said John Hutchings, the director of New York State Laborers Organizing Fund.

“Public subsidies should come with public responsibilities. We should be using the state’s limited development resources to fund projects that provide middle class jobs. Unfortunately, the Lewis County IDA failed the New York taxpayers.”

The group had sought to privately pressure EDF into paying a prevailing wage, but those talks broke down after the company moved forward with the project.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/10/26/workers-protest-hiring-practices-at-wind-farm/