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EcoWobbles - EcoUnionist News #139

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, February 11, 2017

News of interest to green unionists:

After String of Defeats, Workers Win Union at Baltimore Gas & Electric - By Bruce Vail, In These Times, February 2, 2017 - Baltimore-area workers opened the Trump era by voting in favor of a labor union at the largest utility company in the metro region. The election victory at Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. (BGE) will bring more than 1,400 new members into the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

America’s Construction Carnage - By Sam Pizzigati, Other Words, February 1, 2017 - As unions decline, construction workers are dying at alarming rates.

Appalachia Can’t Shift From Coal To Clean Easily - By Michael Barnard, Clean Technica, February 7, 2017 - To single coal out, there were about 785,000 people employed in the coal industry in the USA in 1910 when Appalachia dominated that industry. Now, there are about 80,000 and many of those jobs are in the west in new coal basins. Fewer than 60,000 people of the 25 million in the region still work in the coal industry. Appalachia’s coal industry employment has been in decline for decades because of automation and shifting demand.

Billion-dollar Alberta coal company goes bankrupt - By Andrew Topf, Mining.Com, February 7, 2017 - About 220 employees lost their jobs in 2015 when the mine shut down, a victim of low met-coal prices.

The Building Trades’ Faustian Bargain - By Harold Meyerson, The American Prospect, February 2, 2017 - The construction union leaders who met with Donald Trump hope he’ll create jobs for their members. They must also hope he won’t deport their members because they’re immigrants.

California Coalition Urges Trump to Prioritize Workers and Environmental Health with NAFTA Renegotiation - By Aaron Lehmer-Chang, California Trade Justice Coalition, January 24, 2017 - As President Trump moves to formally withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and commence renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the California Trade Justice Coalition is calling on his administration to commit to an open, public process that yields broadly shared economic benefits for working families in Canada, Mexico, and the United States while improving environmental health.

Climate ignored as Exxon Mobil takes earnings hit - By Megan Darby, Climate Change News, February 2, 2017 - US supermajor’s profits have halved since last year, on a $2bn write-down of gas assets, but executives still don’t mention climate risk.

EPA Workers to Trump: We Don’t Want Scott Pruitt as Our New Boss - By Nida Bajwa, In These Times, February 7, 2017 - The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 704, the union representing the EPA’s Chicago workers, organized the protest to oppose Pruitt’s confirmation and to pressure senators to vote against him. Speakers at the event included stewards and members of AFGE, state and city government officials and activists from non-profit environmental organizations.

Famine looms as millions go hungry in East Africa - By UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Climate and Capitalism, February 5, 2017 - Failed harvests, disease, deteriorating water and pasture conditions, and animal deaths mean 12 million need food aid now, and the situation is fast deteriorating.

Federal Disobedience: Why We Must Support Federal Worker Noncooperation - By Adriana Calvarezi, Truthout, February 1, 2017 - These and other federal employee acts of noncooperation and defiance are just a taste of what's to come over the next four years as federal employees face administration and GOP demands that they act against both "our constitutional values" and the very purposes of the agencies for which they labor.

Huge Win for Renewables in Maryland as Lawmakers Override Governor's Veto - By Stefanie Spear, EcoWatch, February 5, 2017 - Lawmakers in the Maryland Senate voted 32-13 Thursday to expand the state's renewable energy target restoring the Clean Energy Jobs Act and overriding Republican Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of the measure in May of last year. The bill is now in effect.

Jobs in Texas’ solar industry on the rise - By Ryan Handy, FuelFix, February 8, 2017 - Texas has the third largest number of solar jobs in the nation, and the employment in the state’s solar industry grew by 34 percent in 2016, according to the 2016  National Solar Jobs Census released on Tuesday.

Keeping out Mexican immigrants won’t help U.S. workers - By Bryce Covert, Think Progress, February 6, 2017 - The U.S. once tried to shut out immigrants to increase jobs and wages, but it failed at both goals.

Labor Leaders’ Cheap Deal With Trump - By Naomi Klein, New York Times, February 7, 2017 - The edifice that Mr. Trump is building is rigged to collapse on the very people these unions are supposed to defend. His cuts to regulations will make them less safe on the job, and he may well wage war against the National Labor Relations Board, an agency that recently ruled that Mr. Trump violated the rights of the workers in his Las Vegas hotel to unionize and bargain collectively. His proposed cuts to corporate taxes will eviscerate the public services on which they depend, not to mention public sector union jobs. He supports “right to work” legislation that poses an existential threat to unions. His pick for labor secretary, the fast-food magnate Andrew Puzder, has a long record of failing to pay his workers properly, and he has praised the idea of replacing humans with machines.

The Labor Movement Must Learn These Lessons From the Election - An interview with Jane McAlevey by D.D. Guttenplan, The Nation, February 7, 2017 - We first spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, where, amid the self-congratulation, she cautioned me that “Clinton hadn’t sealed the deal” with the white suburban women that McAlevey had met helping to organize Philadelphia-area hospitals. After her warning proved prophetic, we resumed our conversation—this time focusing on the question at the heart of her new book, No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age.

Lonmin Cannot Wash its Hands of Marikana’s Blood - By Liam Barrington-Bush, London Mining Network, February 1, 2017 - A short film by Zoe Broughton from last week’s Lonmin AGM protest and commemoration for the 34 South African miners killed at the British company’s Marikana platinum mine in South Africa in August 2012.

Maryland Senate overrides Gov. Hogan's veto of energy bill, raising renewables goal - By Robert Walton, Utility Dive, February 3, 2017 - While the new Presidential administration has threatened to change course on climate change, including potentially exiting from the Paris climate accord, Tidwell said "states like Maryland will fight back here at home with jobs, cleaner air, and truly responsive government."

Most Trump voters actually support climate action - By Kate Yoder, Grist, February 7, 2017 - In contrast, this new poll, from researchers at Yale and George Mason University, found that 49 percent of Trump voters think global warming is happening, and even more of them support policies to promote clean energy and cut down on climate pollution.

Mt. Everest and the Class Struggle - By John Reimann, Oakland Socialist, February 8, 2017 - Who would have thought that the class struggle would reach Mt. Everest?

New Congress on Track to Block Long-Sought Workplace and Public Health Protections - By Elizabeth Grossman, In These Times, January 27, 2017 - An estimated 10,000 Americans die from asbestos-caused diseases each year, a figure that’s considered conservative. Asbestos is no longer mined in the United States but it still exists in products here, perpetuating exposure, especially for workers in construction and other heavy industries. In June 2016, after years of debate, the country’s major chemical regulation law was updated for the first time in 40 years, removing a major obstacle to banning asbestos.

1 Out of 50 New US Jobs Came From the Solar Industry in 2016 - By Katie Fehrenbacher, Green Tech Media, February 7, 2017 - The number of jobs created to make, sell and install solar panels in the U.S. grew at a record pace last year, and grew much faster than the overall American economy, which is welcome news for the solar industry in the face of policy uncertainty.

180 federal employees sign up for 'civil disobedience' class - By Brooke Seipel, The Hill, February 1, 2017 - According to a Washington Post report, 180 federal employees have signed up for a workshop featuring expert advice on workers’ rights and expressing civil disobedience.

Organizing Social Self-Defense Under the Trump Regime - Interview with Jeremy Brecher by Scott Harris, Between the Lines, January 18, 2017 - Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with historian, author and activist Jeremy Brecher, who talks about his recent article titled, "Social Self-Defense: Protecting People and Planet Against Trump and Trumpism," that examines the importance of mobilizing a critical mass of citizens in the face of the coming right wing political assault on multiple fronts.

Randgold resumes Tongon mine operations after deal with workers - By Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.Com, February 1, 2017 - The company, which has five operating gold mines across west and central Africa, said the settlement was a collaborative effort between management, representatives of central and local authorities, and workers.

Report cites clean energy growth as Minnesota legislators push to eliminate solar program - By Frank Jossi, Midwest Energy News, February 2, 2017 - Minnesota has 131 companies in the supply chains of the wind and solar industries, according to the report, “Minnesota Wind Power & Solar Energy Supply Chain Businesses: Good for Manufacturing Jobs, Good for Economic Growth and Good for Our Environment,” released today by the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

Rising Resistance to Trump on Immigration - By Dennis Bernstein, Truthout, February 4, 2017 - A grassroots rebellion against President Trump's anti-immigration policies is taking shape in California and across the country, spearheaded by farmworkers, day laborers, immigrant domestic workers and their supporters.

Rooftop Solar in Oahu Crashes With Loss of Net Metering, Lack of Self-Supply Installs - By Eric Wesoff, Green Tech Media, February 7, 2017 - "Hawaii’s solar installers have already been forced to significantly downsize because of a steep decline in permitted projects over the past two years," he continued.

Scott Pruitt hasn’t even been confirmed and EPA employees are already protesting - By Samantha Page, Think Progress, February 6, 2017 - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees rallied Monday against the impending confirmation of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as EPA Administrator, in what appears to be the first protest by federal workers against the Trump administration.

Solar Accounted for 1 in 50 New U.S. Jobs in 2016 - By The Solar Foundation, EcoWatch, February 7, 2017 - The American solar workforce grew at a historic pace in 2016, a year when one out of every 50 new U.S. jobs was in the solar industry, according to the new National Solar Jobs Census 2016, the seventh annual report on solar employment issued by The Solar Foundation.

Solar jobs are booming - By Nathanael Johnson, Grist, February 7, 2017 - The number of people employed by the solar power industry in the U.S. surged 25 percent last year, to 260,000 workers, according to a count by the Solar Foundation, a pro-industry group. Twenty-five percent is huge. For comparison, the rest of the economy added jobs at a rate of 1.45 percent.

Sunny Days Ahead For Solar Energy If “Historic” Job-Creating Pace Endures - By Michael Barnard, Clean Technica, February 7, 2017 - Solar energy jobs are booming, according to the non-profit Solar Foundation. The organization’s annual National Solar Jobs Census for 2016 showed that the solar industry’s contribution to the national employment picture is significant, adding up to one out of every 50 new jobs created last year.

Super Bowl Adbust: Farmworkers expertly take down Wendy’s $5 million “Cold as Ice” commercial! - By staff, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, February 6, 2017 - $5 million for 30 seconds of Super Bowl airtime could fund more than 5 years of fairer wages and humane working conditions for workers picking Wendy’s tomatoes through the Fair Food Program.

Sure, pipelines are good for oil companies, but what about jobs related to preserving nature and culture? - By Chip Colwell, The Conversation, February 1, 2017 - this viewpoint focuses on the profits that go to the oil and construction industries, while ignoring the price that will be paid by other sectors of America’s economy, including tourism and preservation of our cultural heritage – a point I’m quite aware of as an anthropologist focused on the American West. A more accurate reckoning of the economic benefits of pipelines needs to consider the negative impact of pipelines on other parts of our economy.

Talks between BHP, Escondida workers to resume as Gov’t steps in - By Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.Com, February 3, 2017 - Negotiations between BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP) and unionized Chilean workers at its Escondida mine, the world's biggest copper operation, are set to resume as soon as Monday, as the company has requested government mediation to avoid a looming strike.

The Tech Industry Comes Out Strongly Against Trump’s Travel Ban. What About Cleantech? - By Katie Fehrenbacher, Green Tech Media, February 3, 2017 - There’s been a decided lack of strong public opposition to the travel ban from the clean energy sector and from many energy tech firms.

Transocean, Atwood cut 200 offshore Gulf jobs - By Jordan Blum, FuelFix, February 6, 2017 - Transocean and Atwood Oceanics eliminated about 200 combined jobs for offshore energy workers in the Gulf of Mexico as drilling rigs are either relocated or put out of work.

The true cost of shrimp - By Brototi Roy, New Internationalist, January 30, 2017 - ‘Shrimp farming is making more money for the rich, who invest in the big shrimp ponds and processing industries,’ says Jagdish Chandra Mridha who has grown up catching shrimp seeds and works on the boats. ‘Poor people like us can’t even afford a boat and have to stand in water for hours. We are paid ten times less than what we were even five to six years ago.’ Mridha adds that this job is usually carried out by children, women and old people.

Trump's Border Wall Could Break the Food System - By S.E.Smith, Care2, February 2, 2017 - Your food relies on inexpensive undocumented labor to reach your plate. Without workers, farmers will have no choice but to watch their crops rot in the fields, creating shortages that will hit the grocery store. But not all foods are created equal.

The Unions Betraying the Left - By Erik Loomis, New Republic, February 6, 2017 - By embracing Donald Trump, the building trades are selling out the movement for greater equality for all working people.

U.S. Clean Energy Jobs Surpass Fossil Fuel Employment - By Lara Ettenson, NRDC, February 1, 2017 - The recently published Department of Energy 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report shows that clean electricity jobs are no doubt the engine that drives America’s electric energy economy, outstripping the number of paychecks provided by the fossil fuel industry by at least five to one. While that doesn’t mean fossil fuel generation is gone, it certainly means that if you are a politician looking for ways to grow jobs for the long term in your community, clean energy is the path to take.

US Solar Industry Employment Climbs 25 Percent - By Chris Martin, Bloomberg, February 7, 2017 - U.S. solar-industry employment in 2016 grew at the fastest pace in at least seven years, with growth in all sectors including manufacturing, sales and installations, as demand for clean power swelled.

Vancouver Island old-growth forest almost gone - By Redeye Collective, Rabble.Ca, January 18, 2017 - Ninety per cent of the forests on Vancouver Island have been logged. Now the B.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Union of B.C. Municipalities have joined with environment organizations, First Nations and forestry unions to call for an end to the logging of old growth forests. Torrance Coste is with the Wilderness Committee. He speaks with Redeye host James Mainguy.

Weatherford cutting thousands more jobs, selling fracking business - By Jordan Blum, FuelFix, February 2, 2017 - The financially struggling oil field services giant is focused on downsizing and debt reduction. Weatherford executives said Thursday they’re cutting another 3,000 jobs worldwide while closing additional facilities. Roughly 2,000 cuts are already made — about half late last year and the other half in January — with another 1,000 layoffs on the way.

Wells Fargo Workplace Racism Bullying And Bld Trades Pipelines - By Steve Zeltser, Work Week Radio, January 31, 2017 - WorkWeek looks at the effort by UPTE CWA UC workers to divest their pension money in the Dakota pipeline on Sioux Native American land that will threaten their land and water. We interview Lisa Milos who is an interpreter at UCSF. Her union has called for the divestiture of their pension funds in companies that are supporting the pipeline. We also interview Mike Griffin from the War Zone Education Foundation and a retired United Brotherhood of Carpenters and was a millwright.

Work and Climate Change Report - The green transition of work and workplaces: Research and News from a Canadian viewpoint, By Elizabeth Perry:

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