WHEREAS: The recent fires and heavy storm season in Southern California provided another sobering reminder to our communities on how climate change is fundamentally altering our planet and economy; and
WHEREAS: The Los Angeles region in particular, and the State of California more broadly, have become global leaders with some of the strongest environmental policies which were shaped and supported by labor unions who successfully fought to
unionize and expand building/construction, maintenance and operation career opportunities in renewable energy, climate adaptation, energy efficiency, mass transit, waste management, high speed rail and other greenhouse gas reducing projects that will improve the quality of life for all residents; and
WHEREAS: Without the leadership of California labor, California would not be able to boast the utility scale solar that makes it a national leader with more than 14,000 megawatts of renewable generation mora than the states of Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah combined; and
WHEREAS: These accomplishments have been made possible by the leadership and resources provided by unions in sectors as diverse as the building and construction trades, transportation, government and health care using the power of collective political action, project labor agreements and collective bargaining; and
WHEREAS: Despite Los Angeles’ leadership on environmental and economic issues, too many Angelenos, especially people of color and those living in low-income communities, continue to be exposed to life-threatening levels of pollution and contaminants; and
WHEREAS: Affiliates of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO have led some of the most cutting-edge campaigns that embody the stated conceptual principles of the Green New Deal proposed by some in Congress – from reducing car pollution through the expansion of our rail system to ensuring clean and safe water for all with the passage Measure W to diverting waste from our landfills and state wide campaigns that have organized existing industries including the energy sector thus mandating a skilled and trained workplace creating a safer and cleaner environment; and
WHEREAS: Affiliates of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO leadership on these issues have also created thousands of career opportunities for residents from some of our most economically disadvantaged communities through provisions in collective bargaining agreements, project labor agreements and joint labor-management apprenticeship programs; and
WHEREAS: The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor passed a resolution to support the Labor Network for Sustainability Convergence held on July 28, 2018 at AFSCME DC 36’s union hall, where leaders from several labor leaders met for a full day to build unity around issues impacting the environment and union jobs; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO supports a Green New Deal or similar effort that is consistent with the groundbreaking policies passed here in Los Angeles that affirms and expands the ability of workers to join a union, the payment of prevailing wages, and execution of project labor agreements; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO supports a Green New Deal or similar effort that provides career opportunities for people of color, low-income communities and women utilizing labor-supported preparation and apprenticeship programs and a skilled and trained workforce that simultaneously protects existing union jobs; and
THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO will continue to develop, support and advocate for the policies and programs driven by our affiliates that addresses the climate change crisis, increases safety and air quality on industrial sites while protecting union jobs, affirms and creates union jobs for and improves the lives of our most disadvantaged communities and all working families across California.