Fifteen labor unions and the American Petroleum Institute, members of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry Labor-Management Committee, have written to senior members of Congress to encourage them to support tax policies that will protect and encourage the development of quality U.S. jobs, while at the same time fortifying our nation’s energy and economic security.

In letters sent to Sens. Max Baucus and Charles Grassley, chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and Reps. Charles Rangel and Dave Camp, chairman and ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Oil and Natural Gas Industry Labor-Management Committee said avoiding tax increases on the oil and natural gas industry is “not only good tax policy – it is good energy policy.”

“As you begin consideration of legislation to address expiring tax provisions and other revenue issues, we urge you to avoid policies that could endanger jobs in the domestic oil and natural gas industry, an industry that is critical to both our energy and economic security,” Mark H. Ayers, president of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department and API President Jack Gerard said in the letters they signed on behalf of the committee.

The oil and natural gas industry supports more than 9 million American jobs, including thousands of building and construction jobs that support refinery modifications and expansions, pipeline construction and fabrication of equipment used to produce domestic oil and natural gas.

The committee, formed in June 2009, includes representatives of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, which represents 13 national and international unions; the International Union of Operating Engineers, and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, as well as CEOs representing the oil and natural gas companies and the American Petroleum Institute. The participating unions include the following:

Building-Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers
International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
International Union of Elevator Constructors
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
Laborers’ International Union of North America
Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of the United States and Canada
Sheet Metal Workers' International Association
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers

International Union of Operating Engineers
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America

Click here to download a copy of the letter sent to Senator Baucus.