Union workers protest Lost Lakes Wind Farm project

(Photo by Randy M. Cauthron) About 200 workers will put up 61 wind turbines at the Lost Lakes Wind Farm, which is about three miles west of Milford. The project will create 10 permanent, full-time jobs.

The Sioux City man belongs to Operating Engineers Local 234, a union that represents heavy equipment operators in the state. The group thinks too many out-of-state workers are contracted to put up turbines at the Lost Lakes Wind Farm west of Milford.

Horizon's office along Highway 71 in Milford has been the high-profile location for demonstrators. One placard said: "Shame on Horizon Wind Energy For Hiring Blattner Energy," referring to the Avon, Minn., firm selected to do construction work for Horizon at the wind farm site.

"We're just here promoting an Iowa workforce," Copple said. "We've got qualified people to put up these windmills."

It's not unusual for an out-of-state firm to secure the contract for projects the scale of Lost Lakes Wind Farm. But, Copple said, "when they come in here, they do use Iowa workforce -- aside from their supervisors -- to do the work."

The Lost Lakes Wind Farm begins about three miles west of Milford. Horizon said the project will create 200 jobs, through Blattner Energy, during the construction phase.

"Generally speaking, we do try to hire locally and procure locally as much as possible," said Dave Blattner, a vice president at Blattner Energy. "We bring key, long-term employees along with us wherever we go. A number of our key employees, over the years have been hired out of Iowa because we have been in the area at different times over the years."

The union has been protesting what it considers an out-of-state workforce since Monday, Aug. 10. Between seven and 10 protesters have been at the job site daily, though rainy conditions Wednesday morning drove the numbers down.

(Photo by Brian Craig, Special to The Daily Reporter) Representatives from the International Union of Operating Engineers protested the hiring of out-of-state workers near of the Horizon Wind Energy office in Milford this week.

"A lot of people who work for us are from Iowa," said Ron Rasley, a spokesman for Blattner Energy. "They welcome the opportunity to come back to their home state and work. I think it's a little disingenuous for the union to couch it in those terms because they simply want to replace those people from Iowa with other people from Iowa who happen to be union members."

The Dickinson County Sheriff's Department monitored the demonstration after hearing concerns from project managers about protesters blocking traffic on the first day.

"We're not blocking traffic," Copple maintained. "We're standing out on the side of the road in the grass."

Union representatives do not yell at workers, either, according to Copple. But, he added, Blattner officials won't talk to union representatives.

"It's just another attempt from the union to try and gain some market share," Rasley said, without hearing Copple's remarks. 'They've been unable to do that with the types of services they provide, so they're simply trying to put some pressure on folks."

The 61 wind turbines planned west of Milford will span up to 10,000 acres, according to information provided by Houston-based Horizon. Only 100 acres, or about 1 percent, will be taken out of crop production for the turbines, roads, operations facility and substation.

If the Lost Lakes Wind Farm meets its installed capacity potential, it will supply enough energy to power 30,000 average Iowa homes annually, according to the company.

About 75 northwest Iowa landowners are participating in the wind farm project.