Jason Walsh and Dan Wilson: Kaiser Aluminum, Steelworkers union working together to reduce emissions and protect jobs
By Jason Walsh and Dan Wilson
Washingtonians should be proud of our shared commitment to environmental stewardship. Our commitment is evident in our recognition of our state’s role in the global climate challenge and in the robust debate on the best policies to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions.
Central to the debate is the question of how to reduce carbon emissions and protect jobs. Kaiser Aluminum, as a manufacturer with deep roots in the local community, knows we can do both – in fact, we have been doing both for years. That is why we are sharing our experience with state lawmakers as they consider proposals to price carbon in our state to further reduce carbon emissions. Any proposed Washington state carbon legislation must recognize that facilities like Kaiser Aluminum compete globally, already invest in innovative energy efficient facilities, and provide good jobs that support the state’s economy and our local communities.
Kaiser Aluminum is proud to provide hundreds of family wage manufacturing jobs in Washington. Since 2010, we have increased production by 39% at our Trentwood facility in Spokane Valley. At the same time, we have reduced on-site carbon emissions intensity by 14% and reduced electricity consumption by 28% per pound of aluminum produced. We have invested more than $390 million in state-of-the-art technology at Trentwood to improve energy efficiency, grow capacity, increase capability and enhance the quality of our products. Kaiser’s lightweight and infinitely recyclable aluminum products are part of the solution to reducing global transportation emissions.
Kaiser’s investments in energy efficiency and growth help enable us to compete with facilities in other states or countries that use cheaper, coal-fired power sources. Staying competitive on this uneven playing field helps us protect not only the environment, but jobs that are critical to our state’s economy. There are approximately 750 family wage manufacturing jobs at Trentwood. Members of the United Steelworkers hold most of these jobs. These skilled men and women make aluminum products with a much lower environmental impact than the same products made by our domestic and international competitors. It is not only about USW jobs, as every steelworker job supports another four to five jobs within the supply chain.
Kaiser Aluminum belongs to a distinct sector of businesses in Washington categorized as Energy Intensive, Trade Exposed (EITE). The companies in our state’s EITE sector are leaders in carbon reduction. Combined, the EITE sector represents only about 5% of our state’s total carbon emissions. EITEs recycle steel for our state’s rail projects and iconic buildings, provide cement for projects statewide and make paper for everyday use. Washington EITEs benefit from access to clean power and a skilled workforce, which helps promote safety and good labor standards. We are investing to ensure global emissions continue to decrease and to protect and add family wage jobs. Any loss of Washington EITEs’ share of production to other states or countries will result in an increase in overall global emissions and a loss of Washington jobs will result – this leakage must be avoided.
Kaiser has proudly operated in Washington for 75 years and looks forward to continuing its investment in our state’s economy and to discussing policy options with lawmakers. Any legislative actions must allow EITEs to continue to grow and invest in our communities, prevent leakage of emissions and jobs outside of Washington’s borders, and recognize prior investments in technology improvements to reduce carbon emissions.
Policy solutions supporting environmental stewardship should build upon what we are already doing successfully, include incentives for individuals and companies to do more, and protect the jobs of real men and women who report to work every day. Throughout Kaiser’s proud history in Washington, we have seen what’s possible by voluntarily investing in improvements that match the values of where we live and urge lawmakers to develop policies that do the same.
Jason Walsh serves as Kaiser Aluminum’s Senior Vice President, Manufacturing. Dan Wilson is President of United Steelworkers Local 338 in Spokane Valley. Kaiser Aluminum and USW-Local 338 are members of the Coalition to Reduce Emissions and Protect Jobs – additional information is available on the Coalition’s website, coalitiontoreduceemissionsandprotectjobs.com