Union workers are pushing back against the Trump administration's efforts to slow the clean energy transition, particularly its attacks on offshore wind, aiming to preserve good, unionized jobs in the sector. Despite stop-work orders and lease cancellations, existing projects have continued, and labor leaders are mobilizing to protect workers' livelihoods.
From Subway to Sea
Ryan McElroen, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3, transitioned from repairing the New York City subway to working on offshore wind projects. Over two years, he completed six month-long rotations on New York's first large-scale offshore wind farms: four on Sunrise Wind, about 30 miles east of Montauk Point, and two on Empire Wind in the New York Bight, 30 miles south of Long Island.
McElroen described the change as a "welcome change" from his previous work. Instead of rats, he watched seals and dolphins swim past his work vessel, and his shifts on the Empire project often ended with sunsets over the open ocean. "I would love to continue doing this for the rest of my career," he said.
Building a Labor-Led Climate Movement
The push for unionized clean energy jobs has roots in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which served as a wake-up call for the labor movement. Mike Fishman, president and executive director of the Climate Jobs National Resource Center (CJNRC), noted that workers are "getting hit first and worst" by climate change. At the time, unions had little voice in climate policy discussions, which focused primarily on reducing emissions.
Lara Skinner, founding executive director of Cornell's Climate Jobs Institute, worked with Fishman and other labor leaders to develop a blueprint for a clean energy transition that put workers at the center. They formed Climate Jobs New York, recruiting organizations representing 2.6 million workers. The coalition pushed for a nine-gigawatt offshore wind buildout, which then-Governor Andrew Cuomo adopted in 2019, and the legislature later enshrined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Boost from Biden and IRA
The movement gained momentum with the election of Joe Biden, who emphasized both climate action and union support. In 2022, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provided incentives for clean-energy projects to meet prevailing-wage and apprenticeship requirements. John Podesta, Biden's climate adviser and CJNRC board member, said the IRA was "fundamentally different" because it supported good jobs by attaching labor standards to private-sector investments.
By September 2024, the Biden administration had approved 10 commercial-scale offshore wind projects totaling more than 15 gigawatts. The CJNRC helped launch coalitions of unions in nine states. Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said the IRA "solidified our ability to work with the environmentalist groups on the same side to fight climate change by creating good, family-sustaining jobs."
Trump's Attempts to Interfere
Donald Trump's re-election in 2024 brought major roadblocks. The administration moved to dismantle Biden's climate agenda, targeting federal incentives and singling out offshore wind with unsubstantiated claims. It ordered halts to projects under construction, including Empire Wind in April 2025, Revolution Wind in August, and in December, a stop to several projects including Sunrise, Empire, Vineyard Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind.
McElroen was on the job at Sunrise Wind when the stop-work order came down. Electricians were considered essential to prevent deterioration, but it was a "crazy, uncertain feeling." His union, IBEW Local 3, and Climate Jobs New York mobilized against the order. Chris Erickson, the local's business manager, said they held press conferences and rallies because "these weren't theoretical jobs we were facing losing, it was people looking at actively losing paychecks."
Courts ultimately blocked each stop-work order, and projects continued. McElroen expressed gratitude for the continued opportunities, noting the work has been financially beneficial. During an interview, he received a text: "Good news," he said. "I just got prequalified for my mortgage."
Headwinds and Future Outlook
Despite legal victories, the administration's actions have had a "complete chilling effect" on future offshore wind development, according to Erickson. This year, the administration spent $2.7bn in taxpayer dollars to cancel 12 offshore wind leases in five deals. BloombergNEF projected that US offshore wind capacity would reach just 6 gigawatts by 2035, down from an earlier estimate of 39 gigawatts, meaning few new projects or jobs are likely.
Fishman noted estimates of a loss of 3bn work hours in the building trades. In New Jersey, several proposals have collapsed, leaving "zero offshore wind happening off the coast of New Jersey," said Erickson. He fears the damage will be long-lasting, making it harder and more expensive to restart progress.
Still, unions have continued to notch wins. This year, CJNRC helped launch climate jobs coalitions in five states and the United Kingdom, and pushed for policies supporting clean energy jobs. Fishman believes growth for offshore wind is inevitable due to its potential to generate large amounts of electricity near coastal demand centers. "The wind will change direction on offshore wind," he said.
When the sector revives, unions and environmentalists would be prepared to fight for workers' rights. "The work we've done across the country … has set a completely different tone in the industry and in the climate world," Fishman said. "People now incorporate thinking on wages and jobs into their thinking about building new energy and dealing with emissions. Every governor is talking about affordability. None of that is going away."
