The New York Times claims an “independent” study shows that the Keystone XL pipeline will generate no more than 50 permanent jobs when pipeline construction is complete.
In its editorial screed against the Keystone XL pipeline this morning, the Times states:
… The State Department, the lead federal agency on the project, also estimates 6,500 temporary jobs. And the only independent study, conducted by Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute, concludes that it may generate no more than 50 permanent jobs when the work is done. [Emphasis added]
So how independent is Cornell’s Global Labor Institute?
Below are some of its “collaborating organizations.” Many are the same groups who oppose the Keystone XL pipeline. 350.org is actually the leader of the anti-Keystone Xl effort.
Send your comments to the New York Times public editor.
- 350.org
- Green Alliance
- Center for American Progress
- Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS)
- Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
- European Trade Union Confederation
- Food and Water Watch
- Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES)
- Global Coalition for Climate Action (GCCA)
- Global Labor Strategies
- Institute for Policy Studies
- International Transport Workers’ Federation
- Jobs with Justice
- Labor Network for Sustainability
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
- Public Services International Research Unit Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Iniative
- Red Vida
- Sustainlabour Foundation
- Third World Network
- Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD
- Transportation For America
- UC Berkeley Labor Center
- Union of Concerned Scientists
- University of Oregon Labor Education and Research Center
- US Climate Action Network
- Via Campesina
- Workforce Development Institute
- Worldwatch Institute
Same for the Kern River pipeline, and probably every other big pipeline crisscrossing the US. Sheesh! What pitiful fodder the Times pukes out.
From the sounds of it, the Keystone project is federally funded. But it’s not. We have a private organization trying to do legitimate business with their own funds — which will create jobs — and the President is standing in the way.
50 permanent jobs for a 1,700 mile pipeline?? this is beyond ludicrous. The Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. in Alaska, for a pipeline 800 miles long, has 800 permanent direct employees and 1,200 regular contract employees. in addition,
period maintenance and construction work employee hundreds on a regular basis.
And after all the government stimulus money is spent there will be zero permanent jobs created. The Keystone XL looks like a good thing to me, and it comes with an increase in tax revenue instead of an expense that further increases the national debt.
The maintenance of the pipe and pumping stations themselves will take at least 50 people. That’s not counting the jobs making the pipe and pumps. This isn’t counting increased jobs in Canada and in America at the beginning and end of the pipe, plus the accountants needed to count the money rolling in on both sides of the border.
This analysis falls flat on its face with even the barest of thoughts.