Labor, environmentalists seek good green jobs in Washington state
As part of its response to climate change and the need to rebuild our stumbling economy, Washington state has set a goal of creating 25,000 “green” jobs. But will they be good, family-supporting jobs? And will we have the trained workforce to fill them? The Washington State Good Green Jobs Conference will address those questions...
Gregoire, Sims to address June 21 conference at UW
As part of its response to climate change and the need to rebuild our stumbling economy, Washington state has set a goal of creating 25,000 “green” jobs. But will they be good, family-supporting jobs? And will we have the trained workforce to fill them?
The Washington State Good Green Jobs Conference -- set for Saturday, June 21, at the University of Washington’s Mary Gates Hall and co-sponsored by the NW Energy Coalition– will address those questions.
Hosted by the Washington Blue-Green Alliance and UW’s Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, the conference will bring together some 200 union rank-and-file and officials, environmental and low-income advocates, and a host of clean-energy business, workforce training and political leaders for an interactive day-long discussion.
Gov. Chris Gregoire, whose executive order established the green jobs goal, will give the lunchtime keynote address. King County Executive Ron Sims will give an opening address Saturday morning, followed by comments from David Allen, executive vice president of McKinstry Co., the region’s largest energy efficiency contractor.
An expert-filled morning panel will set the stage for the day’s activities. Panelists will include Thurston-Lewis-Mason Counties Labor Council president Bob Guenther of IBEW Local 77, Puget Sound Energy Vice President for Energy Efficiency Services Cal Shirley, Solid Ground executive director Tony Lee and Climate Solutions economist Jessica Coven. Dave Harrison, who chairs of the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, will moderate.
In the afternoon, participants will break into small-group sessions to discuss how labor and environmentalists can advance their common goals, how to prepare people for green-economy jobs, and how to overcome barriers to those accomplishments. National Sierra Club board member and past president Larry Fahn and the National Blue-Green Alliance founder and executive director Dave Foster will provide closing comments.
Other labor leaders involved in the event include Washington State Labor Council president Rick Bender, M.L. King County Labor Council executive secretary Dave Freiboth, United Steelworkers subdistrict director Jim Woodward, SPEEA labor representative Stan Sorscher, Worker Center (AFL-CIO) economic development specialist Patrick Neville and Seattle mayor’s labor liaison Rich Feldman.
Participating environmental or clean-energy organizations include Climate Solutions, NW Energy Coalition and the Sierra Club. Other sponsoring businesses include McKinstry Co. and the state’s largest utility, Puget Sound Energy.
Attendance costs $15, which covers lunch. Scholarships are available; no one will be turned away for inability to pay. To register, go to www.coolstatewashington.org/bluegreen.php or call Jessica Eagle at (206) 378-0114, ext. 308, for more information.
Driving directions: www.css.washington.edu/MGH_Directions
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
9 a.m. -- Welcomes
- Jim Gregory, Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies chair
- Kathleen Ridihalgh, Sierra Club Northwest senior regional representative
- Dave Freiboth, M.L. King County Labor Council executive secretary
9:20 Address by King County Executive Ron Sims
9:35 a.m. – Comments from McKinstry Executive Vice President David Allen
9:45 a.m. -- Panel: Ahead of the Curve: Washington State’s clean energy and green jobs
Facilitator: Dave Harrison, chair of the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
Panelists:
- Bob Guenther, IBEW Local 77 lobbyist and president of the Thurston-Lewis-Mason Counties Labor Council
- Cal Shirley, Puget Sound Energy Vice President for Energy Efficiency Services
- Tony Lee, Solid Ground advocacy director
- Jessica Coven, Climate Solutions economist
11:30 a.m. – Lunch (provided)
12:15 p.m. -- Washington State Labor Council President Rick Bender introduces the governor
12:20- 12:50 p.m. -- Keynote address by Gov. Chris Gregoire
1 p.m. – Concurrent breakout sessions:
- Track 1: Common Ground: Making good, green jobs a reality in Washington State
- Track 2: Getting there: Learning from other community examples, deciding how to provide training, and overcoming obstacles
2:15 p.m. -- – Concurrent breakout sessions – Switch to opposite track
3:15 p.m. – Blue-Green closing
- Larry Fahn, board member and past president of the National Sierra Club
- Dave Foster, Director of National Blue Green Alliance