 
Getting on Board with the Green Revolution
They’re among the most pressing concerns of the 2008 election season: how do we stem the decline of the manufacturing sector and create good-paying jobs here at home and kick our dependence on foreign oil? All the Democratic presidential candidates and even some of the Republican ones have talked about their plans for investing in the green economy.
But while politicians have been making promises out on the campaign trail, the IBEW has been making renewable energy a reality. From building wind towers in Iowa, to wiring solar panels in Nevada, the IBEW is becoming known as the go-to people when it comes to all aspects of green technology: solar, wind and bio-fuels.
And if you think green power is just a fad, here are some facts for you. State incentives for renewable energy are offered in more than 30 states, and the recently passed Energy Independence and Security Act will provide $125 million in federal funds annually to support training for green collar jobs. So if the work hasn’t reached your area yet, it will.
As the best trained and most experienced work force in the electrical industry, the IBEW is well positioned to become the leading provider of renewable energy. Locals across the North America are already training thousands of apprentices and journeymen in photovoltaic installation, while our signatory contractors are successfully bidding on new wind farms everywhere from Massachusetts to Texas.
We’re on the verge of an energy revolution that could provide millions of jobs for our members and the next generation of electrical workers. But it’s an opportunity that won’t last long. While in some states we dominate the market share in green power and have active programs to train our members in the newest technologies, in other areas, we’ve barely made a dent.
If our locals are not training their members in renewable technology, if they are not known to federal, state and local politicians as the leaders in the field, if they are not aggressively going after this work, you can bet the nonunion contractors will. And as we know from our history, once we lose the work, it’s an uphill climb to get it back.
The green energy revolution is well underway – we need to make sure every IBEW local is part of it.
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