Legislation that would create and save millions of jobs across the US by building a  clean energy economy has stalled, while nations like China are forging ahead, the BlueGreen Alliance has reminded legislators.

The US alliance, a coalition of union and environmental groups, kicked off a ‘Job’s Not Done Tour’ this week. The 30-city bus tour will run until 3 September.

Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), a member of the alliance, said: “By failing to take action on these important clean energy policies, we are missing a huge opportunity to create good jobs now. Currently we are 16th in the world in the percentage of citizens with access to broadband. Expansion will not only create jobs, save Americans money and make our country more efficient, it will lead to the sustainable communities that are such an important part of our future.”

JOBS DRIVE The US is not in the fast lane when it comes to green job creation.

The initiative aims to demonstrate nationwide support for creating clean energy jobs, including manufacturing clean energy technologies, building the 21^st century broadband network, building a smart grid transmission system and making our homes and commercial buildings more efficient.

AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka said earlier this month that the US needs a comprehensive approach to energy and climate issues, “one that will invest in our future and create good jobs. It is vital to the national security, economic, and environmental interest of the nation.”

Michael Langford, president of the Utility Workers said: “Building a smart grid that transmits cleaner, renewable energy will create good jobs, and we need to take action to make those jobs a reality now.

The National Labor College (NLC) and the AFL-CIO’s Center for Green Jobs have launched a monthly online Green Labor Journal to outline issues of sustainability, energy use and climate change from a union perspective.

It says the journal will showcase union green initiatives and provide up-to-date information on new developments in green policy, technology and work processes.

A report in the AFL-CIO’s blog says the journal will emphasise that green jobs must pay decent wages and benefits so workers can sustain themselves and their families. All green policy initiatives also must include fair labour standards.

The online journal also will highlight the important role of unions in environmental debates.

Issue 1 includes details of NLC’s Green Workplace Representative Certificate Program. It says: “Based upon the model of the British Trade Union Congress’s (TUC) Union Green Representative program, the NLC curriculum will provide working people with a practical guide for conducting a workplace audit, organizing a ‘greening committee’ in every workplace, and working with management to make the positive changes necessary to achieve sustainability.”

TUC publishes a regular online Green Workplaces News.

Writing in the first issue of the Green Labor Journal, NLC’s Tom Kriger notes: “Research shows that sustainable workplaces are more productive workplaces.  Thus a further goal of this program is to build cooperative labor-management partnerships so workplaces become safer and more productive, enhance the competitiveness of American firms in the global economy, and contribute to the health of the planet. 

“Based in part upon the role of the health and safety committees that the labor movement pioneered in many workplaces, a workplace “greening committee” would provide the appropriate forum for discussing the results of workplace audits and negotiating steps to address issues identified in the audits.”

With 59 million people expected to be unemployed worldwide by the end of the year, trade union leaders called on the G-20 countries, which include China and Japan, to continue to press for a coordinated global economic strategy to stimulate new jobs to ensure a real recovery. 

In a statement prepared for the 14-15 November APEC meeting, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Asia Pacific Labor Network (APLN) called for accelerating efforts at job creation by Asian and Pacific governments. The global labour movement expressed concern about low wages in Asia and called on Asian leaders to “get back on the track with the creation of decent work.”

Unions also called for workers’ rights to be at the centre of a strategy for global economic growth. In their joint statement, the ITUC and APLN said decent work and respect for human rights is essential to achieve a stable regional economic structure.

A report in the blog of US national union federation AFL-CIO says working families and their unions are calling for progress to be made on climate negotiations— progress toward climate change policies that pay attention to employment and workforce issues and promote green jobs.

Ciardelli was one of the 80 people who attended a breakout forum on “Building a Green Jobs Economy from The Ground Up” at the AFL-CIO’s 26th Constitutional Convention this week. 

A report on the AFL-CIO Now blog says IBEW recently launched Working Green, a new section on its website featuring the latest news about the union’s role in the green revolution for members, contractors and others looking to break into the new energy economy.

IBEW is aggressively training and preparing its members to help transform the nation’s struggling economy through a range of environmental investments in green technology, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Ciardelli says the new green jobs are not new jobs to IBEW members—they merely require new equipment and processes.

“One of our biggest opportunities lies in the creation of green jobs, and a new vision of America that our labor movement is helping make happen.”

She credited many unions for undertaking green initiatives, including the United Steelworkers (USW), the UAW, AFT, AFSCME and the building trades. She also pointed to the institute’s Center for Green Jobs and APRI’s new computer learning lab in Pittsburgh as examples of the ways in which unions are preparing workers for a green economy.

She said she “was never so excited” than she was when she visited the Pittsburgh Public Housing Authority and saw the public housing residents in the APRI Computer Learning Lab learning computer skills and other young people going through basic OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] training taught by Steelworkers health and safety instructors.

They are being prepared for a green future and we all can agree that, at the end of the day, the only color that matters is green. We’re especially proud that APRI is working with the Center for Green Jobs to get additional federal support for creating pathways out of poverty for low-income and under-served communities.

The Obama administration has estimated 5 million jobs (direct and indirect) can be created by a $150 billion, 10-year investment. Green Jobs for America reports that hybrid and other clean cars, public transportation, efficient heating and lighting systems and clean renewable power plants can create more than 1.4 million new jobs.

In addition, the administration has made $150 million available to help create green jobs in areas of high poverty. National, state and local partnerships that include non-profits, labor organizations, employers, education and training facilities and public workforce groups are eligible for the grants. Says Holt Baker:

That is real money, to help solve problems, and help put real people to work.

You can read excerpts from Holt Baker’s speech on the AFL-CIO Working For America Institute website here.

AFL-CIO Now blog.