The Hillsboro (Oregon) News Times reports Labor Leaders from across the Building Trades in Oregon have announced the launch of Climate Jobs Oregon - a new coalition that advocates for policies to increase the number of Union Tradespeople to help meet the State’s clean energy targets and lower utility bills. Labor partners in this campaign include: The Oregon AFL-CIO; the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 48, 125 and 932; International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 701; Ironworkers Local 29; Laborers (LIUNA) Local 737; the Oregon and Southern Idaho District Council of Laborers; the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 16; and the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) Local 290. Labor Leaders collaborated with the Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations Climate Jobs Institute to produce a range of policy recommendations, including increasing investments in Union Apprenticeship Programs, collaborating with Labor Unions to expedite site permitting for clean energy development, and more. Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor said: “To meet our climate goals, Oregon needs a massive increase in Workers and those Workers must be trained to the highest caliber and safety standards where they have a meaningful voice on the job, where they have career pathways for advancement and where they have wages, benefits and a retirement plan to support their families and get them into the economy long-term. Let’s be crystal clear: Those are Union jobs.”  

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: New labor coalition hopes to spur job growth to meet Oregon’s clean energy targets | Hillsboro News Times

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.