Alaska LNG Project Partners with Labor Unions to Prioritize Alaska Workers for 12,000 Construction Jobs
Alaska’s Building Trades and 8 Star Alaska, LLC, a subsidiary of Glenfarne Alaska LNG, LLC, have announced a new partnership designed to prioritize Alaska workers for construction and related opportunities connected to the Alaska LNG Project, one of the largest energy infrastructure developments in the state’s history.
The organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a framework for collaboration between Alaska’s labor unions and the project’s development team. The agreement focuses on creating a reliable, skilled workforce while ensuring Alaska residents and contractors have access to the economic opportunities generated by the project.
The MOU was signed during a ceremony on June 11 at the Alaska Laborers Training School in Chugiak, Alaska. The agreement was signed by leaders from the Building and Construction Trades Council of Southcentral Alaska, the Fairbanks Building and Construction Trades Council, the Alaska Petroleum Joint Crafts Council and 8 Star Alaska.
The Building Trades Councils represent 18 separate unions affiliated with the Alaska AFL-CIO, which represents approximately 50,000 workers across the state. These unions provide skilled labor support for major construction projects throughout Alaska, working with contractors from locations including the North Slope, Kodiak and communities across the state.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to an “Alaska first” approach, ensuring that the benefits of the Alaska LNG Project are delivered to local workers, contractors and communities.
Creating Thousands of Workforce Opportunities
The Alaska LNG Project is expected to create approximately 12,000 construction jobs during development and construction phases. In addition, the project is projected to create up to 1,000 long-term operational jobs once facilities are completed.
Beyond direct employment, the project is expected to generate broader economic benefits throughout Alaska. Economic research shows that every direct oil and gas industry job supports approximately 15 additional indirect jobs, creating opportunities across multiple sectors, including transportation, services, supply chains and local businesses.
The MOU provides a foundation for negotiating Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) that will support major construction activities associated with Alaska LNG. These agreements are designed to promote workforce stability, ensure labor availability and strengthen cooperation between unions, contractors and project leadership throughout construction.
Supporting Efficient Project Delivery
Project Labor Agreements have played an important role in major Alaska infrastructure projects by providing a structured approach to workforce management. Previous projects, including the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and other large-scale energy and transportation developments, have demonstrated the value of PLAs in ensuring access to trained workers and maintaining project schedules.
PLAs establish consistent employment terms, clear workplace expectations and dispute resolution processes that help contractors manage complex construction efforts. They also provide access to advanced training opportunities through joint labor-management apprenticeship programs, helping prepare workers for specialized construction needs.
For a project of Alaska LNG’s scale, with multiple construction activities occurring across hundreds of miles of challenging terrain, workforce coordination will be essential.
“One of the most important ways our state will benefit from Alaska LNG is through the creation of thousands of good-paying construction jobs – for Alaska workers,” said Bronson Frye, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Southcentral Alaska. “Alaska unions are uniquely equipped to handle Alaska LNG’s workforce challenges, including staffing multiple subprojects spanning more than 800 miles and getting the job done in some of the most extreme conditions anywhere in the world.”
Building a Skilled Workforce for Alaska’s Future
Labor leaders emphasized that the agreement represents more than a construction partnership — it is an investment in Alaska’s workforce and future generations.
“Project Labor Agreements are a critical project management tool,” said Lake Williams, President of the Fairbanks Building and Construction Trades Council. “This MOU ensures that we have a reliable trained union workforce, standardized work rules, predictable labor costs and helps to ensure that the project is delivered on time.”
The Alaska LNG Project also carries historical significance for many Alaska workers who remember the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the economic opportunities it created.
“Alaska workers proudly recall the legacy of building the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and are bringing that same enthusiasm to the construction of Alaska LNG,” said Joey Merrick, President of the Alaska Petroleum Joint Crafts Council. “The PLA for Alaska LNG will be designed not just for the construction years, but for the generations of Alaska workers that will tell their children and grandchildren about their work on this once-in-a-lifetime project.”
Expanding Construction Partnerships
Rex Canon, Co-President of 8 Star Alaska, highlighted the importance of working with Alaska’s skilled workforce to successfully deliver the project.
“The support and expertise of Alaska’s committed union workforce will be critical for ensuring the success of Alaska LNG,” Canon said. “We are committed to building Alaska LNG with a highly skilled Alaska workforce as the first and primary source of construction labor and ensuring that qualified and competitive Alaska workers have access to the many jobs and opportunities it will create.”
The MOU will support future project labor agreements covering several key areas, including Phase One camp construction, camp operations and logistics. It will also support major Phase Two facilities, including LNG export facilities, gas treatment facilities, compressor stations, module installation, transportation logistics and related site development activities.
Separate agreements are also being developed for pipeline-related construction work. These activities are expected to include pipeline right-of-way preparation, pipe hauling, gravel processing, access roads, pipe storage yards and mainline pipeline construction, with involvement from pipeline construction trades.
Through this partnership, Glenfarne Alaska LNG and Alaska’s labor organizations are creating a workforce strategy designed to support one of the state’s most significant infrastructure projects while ensuring Alaska workers remain at the center of its economic opportunities.
Source Link:https://www.businesswire.com/
