President-elect Joe Biden is under pressure to walk away from his pledge to block the Keystone XL oil pipeline. On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau said completing the project is a key priority for him.
On this side of the border, one of the unions that want Biden to allow construction on the pipeline to continue is an Oklahoma local with a history of racism and sexism.
Pipeliners Local 798 faces a new class-action lawsuit that claims Black members were denied promotions that were given instead to less-qualified white coworkers.
The Pipeliners union is a powerful force in pipeline construction. With more than 8,000 members it works on pipeline construction projects across the country and has been a vocal supporter of the Keystone XL.
The union’s history is relevant to Biden’s position on the pipeline because environmental justice is a centerpiece of the president-elect’s plan to address climate change. Biden vowed to protect communities of color that are disproportionately harmed by pollution and ensure people of color are given preferential treatment in developing clean energy jobs.
The plaintiff in this newest lawsuit, which was filed in November, is a Georgia man named Rodney Jones. His attorney says he’s not commenting on the case as it proceeds through the court system.
