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Major Defense Industry Union Backs Green Jobs “Just Transition”

Inkstick Media
In September, the Machinists enthusiastically endorsed a new climate transition plan.
A sign at a demonstration that says "climate justice now!"
Major Defense Industry Union Backs Green Jobs “Just Transition”

IAM Takes Bold Steps in Addressing Climate Crisis and Embracing Green Technologies, Releases Report on Clean Energy Economy for the Future

At the 2024 IAM Grand Lodge Convention, a groundbreaking discussion was held, with insights from a comprehensive study conducted by Cornell ILR's Climate Jobs Institute, in partnership with the IAM, about the urgency of the climate crisis and potential for growth and renewal within the union.
Photo of Climate Jobs Institute Assistant Director Zach Cunningham at Machinist convention
IAM Takes Bold Steps in Addressing Climate Crisis and Embracing Green Technologies, Releases Report on Clean Energy Economy for the Future

Report: One in four clean energy workers say they have seen or experienced a work-related injury

Houston Public Media
According to the report, 43% of respondents across all sectors reported experiencing a heat-related illness.
A photo of constructions workers at a construction site
Report: One in four clean energy workers say they have seen or experienced a work-related injury

Exclusive: Texas clean energy jobs can be dirty business for a precarious workforce, new research shows

A field team surveyed 1,224 non-union workers in Texas’ solar or wind construction and manufacturing jobs about their labor conditions, then conducted in-depth interviews with some respondents.
Solar worker
Exclusive: Texas clean energy jobs can be dirty business for a precarious workforce, new research shows

Power and People: Working Conditions in the Texas Clean Energy Transition

A first-ever investigative survey of Texas clean energy workers provides unprecedented data of working conditions for over 1,200 workers. This study was conducted in partnership with the Texas Climate Jobs Project and Organized Power in Numbers
Photo of a solar worker's hands installing a panel
Power and People: Working Conditions in the Texas Clean Energy Transition

New report details the working conditions of New York's solar workers

"Green jobs are kind of being sold as this equitable, just transition that people will go into and it's really like a life-changing career and that is not the case from what we're finding," said Avalon Hoek Spaans, assistant director of research at Cornell’s ILR Climate Jobs Institute.
north country public radio
New report details the working conditions of New York's solar workers

NY solar workers overworked, underpaid — study

New York's rapid expansion in solar energy capacity depends on overworked transient labor, according to a recent study.
Solar workers installing panels
NY solar workers overworked, underpaid — study

Michigan leaders warn about the health impacts of climate change

“Climate change is often perceived as purely an environmental issue — maybe a technical or scientific issue — but not a social, economic or jobs issue” said Skinner at the second annual MI Healthy Climate Conference on May 16, 2024 at the Lansing Center.
Wildfire smoke from Canada hangs over Lansing on June 29, 2023. | Photo by Anna Gustafson
Michigan leaders warn about the health impacts of climate change

Climate Jobs Institute Unveils Exploratory Study on New York Solar Industry

Cornell’s Climate Jobs Institute launches “Exploring the Conditions of the New York Solar Workforce,” a two-year exploratory study of working conditions in the solar industry.
CJI Solar Worker Panel Session
Climate Jobs Institute Unveils Exploratory Study on New York Solar Industry

NYS Solar Work: Good for Climate, But Are They Good Jobs?

Cornell Chronicle
On April 26, Cornell’s Climate Jobs Institute released “Exploring the Conditions of the New York Solar Workforce,” which surveyed more than 260 solar installation and maintenance workers findings reveal that New York solar construction workers are transient, may not receive benefits, and are subject to racial disparities in pay.
Workers install solar panels
NYS Solar Work: Good for Climate, But Are They Good Jobs?

Climate Jobs Institute Launches First-ever Climate Jobs eCornell Online Certificate

Cornell’s Climate Jobs Institute Launches New Climate Jobs 4-course Online Certificate through eCornell
Union woman worker wearing a hard hat and standing in front of solar panels
Climate Jobs Institute Launches First-ever Climate Jobs eCornell Online Certificate

Apprenticeships Can Drive Inclusive Clean Energy Economy

Cornell Chronicle
“The Climate Jobs Institute report addresses a core aspect of tackling the dual crises of climate change and inequality: ensuring that diverse individuals and historically underserved communities are included in the shift to high-quality, clean energy careers through union jobs,” said Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute.
Tx Report
Apprenticeships Can Drive Inclusive Clean Energy Economy

CJI Participates in ILR's Convening of Albany Policymakers to Show Impact of State Funding

Representatives from the NY State legislative and executive branches gathered on the ILR campus Thursday morning to officially launch the New York at Work annual report.
Ariel Avgar addresses NY State policymakers
CJI Participates in ILR's Convening of Albany Policymakers to Show Impact of State Funding

Working With Labor Unions to Create a More Sustainable Future

Avalon Hoek Spaans, Assistant Director of Research at the Climate Jobs Insititute, shares what inspired them to seek a career focused on climate science, hoping to contribute to a more environmentally just and sustainable society.
Avalon Hoek Spaans Headshot
Working With Labor Unions to Create a More Sustainable Future

Climate Jobs Institute leads educational delegation to Denmark

Cornell ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute leads educational delegation of 30 New York State legislative and labor leaders to Denmark to learn from the nation’s world-leading efforts to build a clean energy economy.
Delegation members at House of Green, an interactive showroom and visitors center operated by State of Green, in Copenhagen
Climate Jobs Institute leads educational delegation to Denmark

Unions launch Climate Jobs Washington

The Stand
A Climate Jobs Roadmap for Washington State, "is a bold first step towards a pro-worker clean energy transition that meets the scale of this crisis and addresses long-standing racial and economic inequality,” says Lara Skinner, Founding Executive Director of the Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University.
cover image of CJI Washington report
Unions launch Climate Jobs Washington

Climate Jobs Institute releases Washington state report

Cornell Chronicle
The Climate Jobs Institute releases, "Washington Climate Jobs Roadmap: A Worker-Centered Approach to a Clean Energy Future," a culmination of a two-year process that included interviews with more than 85 labor, environmental and industry leaders and policymakers, educational convenings, and qualitative and quantitative research.
A scenic image of Washington state
Climate Jobs Institute releases Washington state report

Denmark's lessons on the future of climate jobs

Capitol Pressroom
Senate Labor Committee Chair Jessica Ramos, a Queens Democrat, and Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University's ILR School, share what they learned about creating good-paying jobs in the renewable energy sector during a visit to Denmark this summer.
Capitol PressRoom Logo
Denmark's lessons on the future of climate jobs

Maine governor reaches offshore wind deal with labor unions

The Washington Post
The Climate Jobs Institute Training and Education team legislative testimony workshops help lead to legislative wins in Maine.
Maine Governor Janet Mills
Maine governor reaches offshore wind deal with labor unions

Opinion: Employ vulnerable communities to build New York’s clean energy transition

City & State
“The Cornell University Climate Jobs Institute delivers training for union members on climate change and clean energy, and connects policymakers with labor, environmental and industry leaders to navigate this historic transition,” says Dovan Lomax, Political Director, District Council 9 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) in NY.
City and State New York Logo
Opinion: Employ vulnerable communities to build New York’s clean energy transition

CJI Prepares Union Members to Testify Before Legislators

The CJI works with coalition partners to train union members to fight for climate action and union jobs.
Zach Cunningham and Melissa Shetler
CJI Prepares Union Members to Testify Before Legislators

New Climate Jobs Institute Allows for Research Addressing Climate Change, Aims to Create More Jobs

The Industrial and Labor Relations School launched their Climate Jobs Institute on Jan. 25. The Institute will help New York state transition to a stronger clean energy economy by addressing the climate crisis and creating more jobs through continued cutting-edge research.
New Climate Jobs Institute Allows for Research Addressing Climate Change, Aims to Create More Jobs

Cunningham delivers multiple training sessions for members of Northern California’s SEIU Local 1021

Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate co-facilitates climate change training sessions for members of Northern California’s SEIU Local 1021.
LLC SEIU1021
Cunningham delivers multiple training sessions for members of Northern California’s SEIU Local 1021

Scaling the US OSW Supply Chain with a Global Perspective

Avalon Hoek Spaans, Cornell ILR outreach extension faculty member with help from their student research assistant Scott Siegel advised a group of Columbia Climate School graduate students on how to answer the question: “How can offshore wind deployment in the US be accelerated while ensuring local high-quality job creation?”
Denmark
Scaling the US OSW Supply Chain with a Global Perspective

Labor Leading on Climate Trains Unionists from Four States as part of Climate Jobs Summit and Week of Action

Cunningham facilitates first training for rank-and-file union members on Sept. 22nd, as part of the Climate Jobs Summit’s Week of Action. Members attended the training via Zoom with in-person sessions to hear about the climate crisis, share their experiences, and learn more about ongoing campaigns in their areas.
Zoom screenshot of participants
Labor Leading on Climate Trains Unionists from Four States as part of Climate Jobs Summit and Week of Action

Biden Promised “Good-Paying Union Jobs,” But It Will Take Organizing to Get Them

Truthout
"People have to see how building a new clean energy economy improves their lives, expands their access to jobs, increases their pay and benefits, protects and supports existing good jobs, lowers energy bills, expands prosperity and makes our communities healthier,” said Skinner at the Climate Jobs Summit.
Truthout Logo
Biden Promised “Good-Paying Union Jobs,” But It Will Take Organizing to Get Them

After Successful Bike Parking Demo, DOT is Rightfully Being Asked, ‘What Now?’

A recent study by Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate recommends converting 5 percent of street parking spaces into 150,000 sheltered bike parking spaces by 2025.
Oonee mini removal
After Successful Bike Parking Demo, DOT is Rightfully Being Asked, ‘What Now?’

LLC and CJNY facilitate Offshore Wind Training for IBEW Local 3

Zach Cunningham, Associate for Cornell’s Labor Leading on Climate, and Mariah Dignan, of Climate Jobs NY, facilitate training on Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) to IBEW Local 3 apprentices
Participants at an Offshore Wind Training
LLC and CJNY facilitate Offshore Wind Training for IBEW Local 3

Changing Power Sources Starts With Changing Minds

Melanie La Rosa discusses the relevance of the Climate for Change: A Complete Climate Jobs Roadmap for New York City report as an opportunity "to a climate labor force [that] could spur thousands of new jobs,” in her recent OpEd.
World War Zero Logo
Changing Power Sources Starts With Changing Minds

Updating aging NYC school buildings will reduce the city’s carbon emissions: energy advocates

NY Daily News
Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate released, “Climate for Change: A Climate Jobs Roadmap for New York City” in partnership with Climate Jobs New York which urges the city to adopt a plan for carbon free and healthy schools
Public School 169, the Sunset Park School in Brooklyn
Updating aging NYC school buildings will reduce the city’s carbon emissions: energy advocates

Op-ed: A road map for making inroads into climate change in New York

Anita Raman, research and policy development associate with Cornell’s Labor Leading on Climate Initiative details how New York City can ensure future net zero emissions, create millions of community-sustaining jobs, and reduce inequality.
Op-Ed Anita Raman
Op-ed: A road map for making inroads into climate change in New York

For a Living Wage and a Habitable Planet, We Need Climate Jobs Programs

Jacobin
Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate released “Building a Just Transition for a Resilient Future: A Climate Jobs Program for Rhode Island” in partnership with Climate Jobs Rhode Island which outlines an approach to reduce carbon emissions while also creating good union jobs.
JACOBIN PIC
For a Living Wage and a Habitable Planet, We Need Climate Jobs Programs

LLC participates in UALE’s first-ever Northeast Regional Gathering

Labor Leading on Climate team’s Zach Cunningham, the regional representative to UALE’s Board, led efforts to organize the event and Director, Lara Skinner, participates in panel discussion.
UALE LOGO
LLC participates in UALE’s first-ever Northeast Regional Gathering

Labor unions' climate agenda for City Hall includes cutting school emissions, adding bike lanes

“We are really thinking about how do we take on climate change at scale and the pace that science demands,” said Lara Skinner, Director of Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate program.
NYC Skyline
Labor unions' climate agenda for City Hall includes cutting school emissions, adding bike lanes

Amerikansk interesse for grøn omstilling og vindoffshore

Skinner, Director of Cornell’s Labor Leading on Climate Initiative visits CO-Søfart/Metal Maritime and Dansk Metal in Denmark to discuss American interest in the green transition and offshore wind.
Climate Jobs Delegation
Amerikansk interesse for grøn omstilling og vindoffshore

Opinion: Labor taking lead on green economy

An initiative of the ILR Worker Institute at Cornell, in partnership with Climate Jobs National Resource Center, “Labor Leading on Climate,” proves that when organized labor leads on an issue like climate change, the outcome is a thriving economy.
Connecticut Bus
Opinion: Labor taking lead on green economy

LLC facilitates “Carbon Free & Healthy Schools” training for union members in NYC

Zach Cunningham, Associate for the Worker Institute, and Tory Kaso, Campaign Director for Climate Jobs NY, helped NYC union members learn more about the Carbon Free & Healthy Schools campaign
CFHS 4.12
LLC facilitates “Carbon Free & Healthy Schools” training for union members in NYC

Cornell extension faculty member awarded 2022 Public Voices on the Climate Crisis Fellowship

Anita Raman, LLC's Research and Policy Development Associate, is one of twenty national leaders selected to be a 2022 Public Voices Fellow on the Climate Crisis. This program is administered by the Yale Program on Climate Communication and the OpEd Project national Public Voices initiative. 
Anita Raman Headshot
Cornell extension faculty member awarded 2022 Public Voices on the Climate Crisis Fellowship

Skinner Recognized on PoliticsNY Labor Power Players

Skinner, Director of Labor Leading on Climate, is featured on the PoliticsNY Labor Power Players list.
Photo: Lara Skinner
Skinner Recognized on PoliticsNY Labor Power Players

Cunningham facilitates Offshore Wind Training for IUOE Local 30

Zach Cunningham, Extension Associate for the Worker Institute and Mariah Dignan, of Climate Jobs NY deliver a riveting presentation on Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) to IUOE Local 30
IUOE Local 1
Cunningham facilitates Offshore Wind Training for IUOE Local 30

Skinner Appears on Community Voices for Change

Skinner appears on Portland’s Maine WMPG Radio, Community Voices for Change, to discuss how Maine is working to build a new renewable energy economy with good union jobs.
WMPG Logo
Skinner Appears on Community Voices for Change

Skinner speaks on Energy Policy Now Podcast

Lara Skinner, Director of Labor Leading on Climate Initiative Cornell University ILR School spoke with The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy the University of Pennsylvania on a podcast: "Organized Labor Sees Promise in Transition to Clean Energy.
Man in Hard Hat
Skinner speaks on Energy Policy Now Podcast

Report addresses labor movement, transition to green economy in RI

Skinner, director of Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate, highlighted the Carbon Free Healthy Schools recommendation — which suggests transitioning all K-12 public schools to net-zero emissions by 2030 using solar power — as one of the most impactful elements of the report.
Rhode Island Offshore Wind Turbines
Report addresses labor movement, transition to green economy in RI

Labor Unions Form New Group to Combat Climate Change in Maine

Labor unions in Maine say they have a lot of ideas on how the state can combat climate change and create clean energy jobs. The unions partnered with Cornell University's Labor Leading on Climate to study climate change and have set 11 goals for creating clean-energy jobs in Maine.
Amtrak's Downeaster train from Boston to Brunswick
Labor Unions Form New Group to Combat Climate Change in Maine

Skinner Recognized on City & State’s 2022 New York State Labor Power 100

Skinner, Director of Labor Leading on Climate, featured on the City & State's 2022 New York State Labor Power 100.
portrait of Lara Skinner
Skinner Recognized on City & State’s 2022 New York State Labor Power 100

NYC unions rally behind ambitious new climate action plans

AM NY
Cornell's Labor Leading on Climate releases report in conjunction with the Climate Jobs New York (CJNY) outlining recommendations to Mayor Eric Adams’ administration as well as examining the impact of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic on NYC workers and schools.
climate change and ice ages concept
NYC unions rally behind ambitious new climate action plans

Cunningham Presents on Carbon-Free & Healthy Schools Campaigns

Cunningham of the Worker Institute’s Labor Leading on Climate Initiative, in partnership with the Climate Jobs National Resource Center (CJNRC) and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), delivers training on Carbon-Free & Healthy Schools campaigns happening across the country.
Opening slide for IUPAT Carbon-Free Healthy Schools Training
Cunningham Presents on Carbon-Free & Healthy Schools Campaigns

Worker Institute outlines climate jobs plan for Rhode Island

Cornell Chronicle
The Labor Leading on Climate team releases a report outlining a comprehensive climate jobs action plan to put Rhode Island on the path to building an equitable clean energy economy.
A windmill on the ocean
Worker Institute outlines climate jobs plan for Rhode Island