Green Collar Jobs on the Move!

[irishbobcat]

Green Collar Jobs on the Move!


It's a busy time for our Green-Collar Jobs Campaign! We've been hard at work, but wanted to come up for air to share our latest victories with you. So far this year, we've helped organize not one, but TWO major coalitions, forging broad partnerships between community groups, unions, and green business leaders. We're also a constant presence in Sacramento, pushing a comprehensive green-jobs agenda to our lawmakers. Read on for all the details:

Oakland Climate Action Coalition Stands Up for Equity
Last month, the Oakland Climate Action Coalition electrified a public hearing on the Oakland Energy and Climate Action Plan. The coalition's mission is to make sure the city's planning process receives input from a broad range of constituents -- especially those from the most disadvantaged communities.  For our first action, we packed the hearing room with our allies, who held up giant posters outlining our goals for the city. At one point, a dozen people stood up, held their posters high, and read each one aloud. Audience members applauded both our enthusiasm and our recommendations for action.

Over the next few weeks, the coalition will be getting organized for an important city council meeting in June to set the goals for the plan. Then, we'll be working hard to submit formal policy recommendations to the Public Works Agency. (Stay tuned -- we'll need your help!)  Learn about the Oakland Climate Action Coalition and our recommendations here:
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/index.php?p=gcjc_oakland_climate_action_coalition

Seeing Green in Sacramento
A flurry of green jobs bills were introduced into the California state legislature this year, and a handful truly stand out in their commitment to creating an all-inclusive green economy -- one of them is Assemblyman Manuel V. Perez's Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Initiative (AB 3).  The Green-Collar Jobs Campaign enthusiastically sponsors this bill because of its strong dedication to incorporating disadvantaged people into the renewable energy field.  We're so excited and honored to be working side-by-side with Perez in creating an economy that is strong enough to lift people out of poverty and into prosperity.

We've also been working on a number of other bills, and they're starting to shape out nicely and make their way through committees. Speaker of the House Karen Bass's bill, Part II of the California Green Collar Jobs Council (AB 1394), recently passed out of the Labor Committee and is continuing on its way toward aligning the state's investment in workforce development with its transition to a green and clean economy.  The Ella Baker Center is working hard with Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg on his bill, the Invest in Green Career Technical Education and Dropout Prevention Act (SB 675), to push funding towards schools and communities that have suffered from lack of investment and high unemployment rates.

Get the skinny on all the bills we're following:
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/index.php?p=gcjc_ca_policies

California Green Stimulus Coalition: New Web Site and Policy Papers
A couple of months ago, I emailed you about the exciting new California Green Stimulus Coalition, which we help lead with many amazing allies from around the state. For months, this coalition has been hard at work behind the scenes, advocating with state officials and the state legislature to ensure the greenest, most equitable, and most effective use of the precious dollars coming to California from the federal Recovery Act.

Now we're ready for the spotlight! After weeks of work by coalition members, the California Green Stimulus Coalition has launched its new web site, and we've crafted three detailed policy recommendation documents. Check it out:
http://www.californiagreenstimulus.org

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Green Collar Jobs lift People out of Poverty!

Dennis Spisak

Mahoning Valley Green Party

Ohio Green Party

www.ohiogreens.org

www.votespisak.org/thinkgreen/