 
Green Jobs in ‘09
Lindell K. Lee editorial from the December 2008 issue of the Electrical Worker
 As we look forward to President Barack Obama hitting the ground running on January 20th, organized labor has a lot to celebrate. An ally of unions who shares our goals and principles, Obama’s leadership could reverse the downward spiral of unemployment and declining wages that have stunted our economy.
One of his promises on the campaign trail was to help boost the green sector by investing $150 billion over the next 10 years to help create 5 million new jobs in the wind and solar industries. This kind of work can’t be outsourced. And Obama’s timing and sense of urgency on the issue couldn’t be more appropriate.
In October, Congress passed a one-year tax credit extension for the wind industry and an eight-year extension for solar companies as part of the $700 billion bailout plan for the faltering market. The same month, the American Wind Energy Association announced planned construction of new factories and wind turbines in Arkansas, Minnesota, Indiana and Iowa – with the promise of well-paying jobs overcoming a drought in employment.
The future of the solar sector looks bright, too. As businesses warm to the new technology, IBEW workers are benefitting. Members of Diamond Bar, Calif., Local 47 working at Southern California Edison are building and maintaining new projects as part of a project labor agreement solidified last summer. California looks to increase its renewable energy usage to 20 percent by the end of the decade.
As the wind and solar sectors gain traction, we stand at the dawning of what may potentially be a revolution in the way energy is harnessed, distributed and consumed. This gives us more of an opportunity to bolster membership and help raise the standard of living for countless men and women employed in the growing green sector. Granted, there’s a lot to be negative and cynical about in the wake of the last eight years. But the optimism and innovation of American workers, labor leaders and our friends in Washington can be a bright spot as our nation seeks a path out of current economic challenges.
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