Oregon Unions Announce New Climate Jobs Organization

A coalition of labor organizations, including many building and construction trades unions and the Oregon AFL-CIO, announced the launch of Climate Jobs Oregon this week at press conferences in Arlington and Portland. Climate Jobs Oregon is a new labor-led organization to ensure that the transition to a clean energy future in Oregon is one that centers working people and the communities they live in. 

“All working families deserve safe, healthy, and prosperous futures,” said Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor. “Climate Jobs Oregon addresses working class needs by creating long-term, liveable wage union jobs while investing in renewable energy infrastructure. It honors Oregon’s history, meets 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 the Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University is a central component of the scope of Climate Jobs Oregon. Cornell’s report offers a concrete, Oregon-specific roadmap for tackling the climate and inequality crises together through clean infrastructure, emissions reductions, and expanded access to high-quality 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. “Investing more 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 home town.”

Union members working on clean energy construction projects are excited at the prospect of more work while emphasizing the widespread benefits for families across the state. 

“I’ve experienced the rising cost of basic necessities, including my electricity bill, and I see how families in my community are struggling,” said Osvaldo Fernandez, a member of LiUNA Local 737. “When we invest in clean energy, we are investing in good-paying jobs, affordable housing, affordable energy, and a cleaner, healthier climate. This won’t only benefit union members, it will benefit every Oregon family.”

By creating a unified climate and jobs minded vision, working Oregonians will benefit from a homegrown clean energy economy that creates union jobs and financial security for working families, protects a healthy environment, and stabilizes energy costs. Climate Jobs Oregon is a bold solution to address working class needs and the crisis of income and racial inequality by creating long-term, livable wage union jobs while investing in infrastructure that will secure Oregon’s future. “It just makes economic sense,” said Trainor.

This critical and timely labor-led coalition is eager to begin working on many of the recommendations from Cornell’s report and forge alliances to make significant progress on ensuring the future of climate action in Oregon is centered around working people and the communities they live in.