Labor and Business Form Alliance to Spark Job Growth Throughout Minnesota

ST. PAUL (Nov. 13, 2012) — Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition co-founded by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, was launched today as a coordinated effort to promote job creation in the state of Minnesota.

The coalition represents businesses, middle class workers, labor, local governments and those who support job creation in the state of Minnesota. Working together, labor and business created the group to educate and provide information to Minnesotans about significant job and economic opportunities facing our state.

“Jobs for Minnesotans brings a unique collection of businesses and organizations together to support job creation in the state,” said Harry Melander, president of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council. “The construction industry in Minnesota continues to face high unemployment rates. Jobs for Minnesotans will work to support and assist major projects that will create jobs. The strategic metals mining industry has immense promise for our state and the coalition is targeting that opportunity to put thousands of Minnesotans back to work.”

With a mineral deposit of more than 4 billion tons, Minnesota holds one of the largest untapped source of strategic metals in the world, including copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, cobalt and gold. The strategic metals mining industry, once operational, has the potential to produce thousands of jobs across industry sectors. The coalition will be a platform for supporters to stay educated and learn how to get involved to support job creation in Minnesota.

“The Chamber supports clear opportunities to promote economic growth and job creation while protecting the great environment and natural resources that we all enjoy here in Minnesota, and that are themselves a significant part of our economic engine,” said David Olson, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.  “We know all Minnesotans will benefit from this industry – from border to border and with that will come new revenue for the state, our schools and all of our priorities together as Minnesotans.” 

To get involved or find out more information about the Jobs for Minnesotans coalition please visit www.jobsforminnesotans.org.

About Jobs For Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans was co- founded in October 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. This coalition represents businesses, middle class workers, labor, local governments and other supporters of job creation in the state of Minnesota.

Jobs for Minnesotans initial focus will be to champion the development of critical and strategic metals (copper, nickel, platinum, palladium and gold) mining in Minnesota and provide information about the direct and ancillary job creation that strategic metals mining can produce for the state. Minnesota has the opportunity to gain thousands of jobs for generations of Minnesotans by safely extracting strategic minerals from one of the world’s largest known, untapped source of copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium and gold located in northeastern Minnesota’s Duluth Complex.

In addition to providing information and resources, the coalition serves as a platform for jobs supporters to get involved and work together to promote job creation the state of Minnesota. 

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Media Contact:
Tony Kwilas
651-292-4668
tkwilas@mnchamber.com