A coalition of unions, including construction industry unions and the Oregon AFL-CIO, has launched Climate Jobs Oregon this week. Climate Jobs Oregon is a new labor-led organization dedicated to ensuring that Oregon’s transition to a clean energy future is one that puts working people and the communities in which they live at the center.
Union members hold signs during a press conference announcing the launch of Climate Jobs Oregon. Oregon AFL CIO
“All working families deserve a safe, healthy and prosperous future,” said Graham Trainor, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO. “Climate Jobs Oregon meets the needs of the working class by creating long-term, viable jobs while investing in renewable energy infrastructure. It honors Oregon’s history, addresses the challenges of the present and invests in a future where our communities, our workers and our environment can thrive together.”
A recent report from Cornell University’s Climate Jobs Institute is a central part of Climate Jobs Oregon’s outreach. Cornell’s report provides a concrete, Oregon-specific roadmap for collectively addressing the climate and inequality crises through clean infrastructure, emissions reductions and expanded access to union jobs.
“Climate Jobs Oregon represents an opportunity for rural Oregon that cannot be ignored,” said Tiffany Wilkins, a business representative for IUOE Local 701. “Increasing investment in clean energy projects means communities will thrive, energy prices will be more stable, but also young workers in our communities like Arlington can start their careers right here in their hometowns.”
One of the organization’s goals is to create its own clean energy economy that creates jobs and tackles climate change, with a focus on the working class and addressing racial inequality in the labor market and the renewable energy market. “It just makes economic sense,” Trainor said.
“I have experienced the rising costs of basic necessities, including my electric bill, and I see families in my community struggling,” said Osvaldo Fernandez, member of LiUNA Local 737. “When we invest in clean energy, we invest in good-paying jobs, affordable housing, affordable energy and a cleaner, healthier climate. This will not only benefit union members, it will benefit every family in Oregon.”
Earlier this month, labor groups in New Jersey formed Climate Jobs New Jersey, a coalition led by Cornell University’s Climate Jobs Institute.
News release from Climate Jobs Oregon
