EARNCon Session: Good Jobs, Green Jobs, and Climate Justice

Confirmed Speakers

• Davere Godfrey, Jobs to Move America
• Frank Manzo, Illinois Economic Policy Institute
• Amanda Woodrum, Policy Matters Ohio

Session Description

Before Congress passed the largest investment in clean energy jobs in history with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August of 2022, action at the local, state, and regional level was already paving the way toward climate and economic justice. This session will focus on three examples of victories that combine good paying jobs, racial equity, and tackling climate change. The first victory takes place in Los Angeles and Alabama, where Jobs to Move America (JMA) was able to secure a community benefits agreement (CBA) with the largest bus manufacturer in the country for a $500 million contract with LA Metro. The second victory is the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which Illinois enacted in September 2021, and has been heralded as one of the nation’s most sweeping clean energy bills ever passed. Finally, the session will explore the work of Reimagine Appalachia, a regional coalition of labor, community groups, and several EARN groups that played a pivotal role in passage of federal legislation to build a 21st century economy in Appalachia that builds worker solidarity.