The science is clear on climate change: we must rapidly phase out fossil fuels. But tens of thousands of workers have jobs in fossil fuel and related industries. How do we secure a just transition that guarantees good jobs with benefits for these workers in the new clean energy economy?

The Economic Policy Institute writes,

When the United States invests in clean energy, energy efficiency and infrastructure, and expands exports, we will rebuild American manufacturing and the U.S. economy, generating nearly 7 million good-paying jobs.

North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) has just signed an agreement with Ørsted Offshore North America to create a national agreement designed to transition U.S. union construction workers into the offshore wind industry in collaboration with the leadership of the 14 U.S. NABTU affiliates and the AFL-CIO.

This year many states have made bold moves to electrify transit. Not only is expanded public transit a crucial means to reduce climate-destroying greenhouse gases, it is also a crucial way to expand good, family-sustaining jobs through the transition to a green, electric-powered economy.

The Coronavirus pandemic and the economic depression accompanying it are already engendering new movements of both employed and unemployed workers. A series of commentaries by labor historian and Labor Network for Sustainability Research and Policy Director Jeremy Brecher describe how millions of people are experimenting with ways to address their problems through collective action in the COVID-19 era.

Donald Trump, significantly behind in the polls, appears to be laying the groundwork for illegally attempting to remain in office if he loses the election. Labor organizations around the country are mobilizing to preserve democracy against Trump’s threat of a coup.

At its Aug. 26 launch, CFCA showcased this poignant portrayal of how slow government response to Hurricane Maria left thousands of Puerto Rican residents displaced in Central Florida. Watch the video »

Rhiana Gunn-Wright – Director of Climate Policy, Roosevelt Institute helped kick off the Sept. 22, 2020 Climate Jobs and Just Transition Summit at the Opening Lightening Around with powerful remarks about climate justice.

Aug. 26 the Labor Network for Sustainability and friends hosted “Young Workers and Just Transition,” the fourth in a series of webinars as part of the Just Transition Listening Project.

From the This is Zero Hour Facebook page. Eighteen-year-old Zero Hour founder Jamie Margolin recently published her book, “Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It,” which is intended to serve as “the ultimate guide to being a young activist.⁣” The book, along with “Zero Hour’s Getting to The Roots of Climate Change” have educated young people on topics not usually included in their school curricula.

Solidarity tweet by Rep. Rashida Tlaib on the lawsuit against the federal government for failing to invoke the Defense Production Act, filed by the highly revered LNS ally Center for Biological Diversity.

We use it to write our loved ones, we use it to vote, we use it to get our medications–it’s just there, and we count on it to do what we need without fuss or bother. But with President Trump and his Republican allies fighting to hamstring and eventually destroy it, the US Postal Service needs support from all who benefit from it.

#Giving Tuesday, happening December 1, is an opportunity for people to use their individual power of generosity to support the communities that are important to them. Whether you’ve just discovered one of our Just Transition Listening Project webinars or have been with us since we first started working to bridge the labor and environmental movements more than a dozen years ago, we’re glad you’re a part of the LNS community!

If you’ve been paying attention to news about Florida, the so-called “Sunshine State” may appear to fall short in the areas of public safety and economic empowerment. This past summer alone, mainstream media focused on the state’s long history of election woes [1] (usually a trending topic come election time), wreckless decision-making by its Governor, who lifted COVID restrictions despite the growing number of cases and fatalities[2], and Disney World layoffs to the tune of 6,700 non-union employees[3], which were announced practically in the same breath as the $150 million price tag on Disney’s Orlando-based 2020 NBA Bubble[4].

“Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy” – the initials spell THRIVE. It’s a new economic renewal plan recently endorsed by the Labor Network for Sustainability. It provides a bold and forward-looking agenda to address the interlocking issues of racist policy, global pandemic, and ongoing climate crisis.