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High Road to Green Energy Lindel K.Lee editorial from the July 2008 issue of the Electrical Worker With the budding attention to green jobs, I am reminded of the saying, “Opportunities are never lost; they are taken by others.” Renewable energy technologies are quickly becoming a battle ground between unions and open shop groups like the Associated Builders and Contractors. We cannot afford to have the opportunity presented by this dynamic economic sector snatched away. It wasn’t by accident that the green jobs training amendment to last year’s energy bill includes the requirement that unions and our apprenticeship programs be consulted before the allocation of federal money for training. The IBEW’s growing leadership in the transition to wind and solar power is drawing notice, expanding labor’s sway. Legislative experts at the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Union Council and the Building and Construction Trades Department helped to draft the language, supported by members of Congress, many of whom were backed by labor’s powerful grassroots effort in 2006. If nonunion contractors are green, it is mostly with envy over labor’s influential place at the renewable energy table. So they are spreading the accusation that unions are selfishly pursuing our own interest in green training. We need to refute anti-union accusations, not just in word but in action. Every local union should ask their congressional delegation to support the appropriation of the entire $125 million authorized by the legislation. Then our job is to secure grants and demonstrate our commitment to upgrading skills, not just of our own members, but for a broad spectrum of workers. The green jobs training bill includes programs for military veterans, low-income adults and youth, and formerly incarcerated nonviolent offenders. These men and women—who are working to change their lives—deserve the good wages and benefits and superior training that only unions can deliver, not the low road sought by labor’s adversaries. Return To Working Green Analysis...

It wasn’t by accident that the green jobs training amendment to last year’s energy bill includes the requirement that unions and our apprenticeship programs be consulted before the allocation of federal money for training. The IBEW’s growing leadership in the transition to wind and solar power is drawing notice, expanding labor’s sway.

Legislative experts at the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Union Council and the Building and Construction Trades Department helped to draft the language, supported by members of Congress, many of whom were backed by labor’s powerful grassroots effort in 2006.

If nonunion contractors are green, it is mostly with envy over labor’s influential place at the renewable energy table. So they are spreading the accusation that unions are selfishly pursuing our own interest in green training.

We need to refute anti-union accusations, not just in word but in action. Every local union should ask their congressional delegation to support the appropriation of the entire $125 million authorized by the legislation. Then our job is to secure grants and demonstrate our commitment to upgrading skills, not just of our own members, but for a broad spectrum of workers.

The green jobs training bill includes programs for military veterans, low-income adults and youth, and formerly incarcerated nonviolent offenders. These men and women—who are working to change their lives—deserve the good wages and benefits and superior training that only unions can deliver, not the low road sought by labor’s adversaries.

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Working Green Analysis...

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High Road to Green Energy Lindel K.Lee editorial from the July 2008 issue of the Electrical Worker

With the budding attention to green jobs, I am reminded of the saying, “Opportunities are never lost; they are taken by others.”

High Road to Green Energy
Lindel K.Lee editorial from the July 2008 issue of the Electrical Worker