How You Can Join the Green Workers Alliance

By Staff - Labor Network for Sustainability, February 2022

The Green Workers Alliance is a new multiracial organization that fights for more and better green jobs. More than 400 workers have already joined GWA online. On-the-ground organizing will begin in Virginia and other southeastern states this spring.

The GWA is initially focusing on the 100,000 workers in the utility-scale renewable energy field. According to Mathew Mayers, GWA executive director,

These workers travel around the country to work on solar and wind projects. They are usually employed by subcontractors or temp agencies, who are under pressure to lower costs to win contracts from utilities or other companies financing the projects. Too often, health and safety conditions suffer, pay is low, and workers face job insecurity as they are constantly hustling for the next gig.

Mayers says, “Ultimately, it is the electricity utilities who have the power to improve these conditions, as they either finance the projects or buy the electricity which they produce.” The GWA is demanding that the utilities use 80% renewable energy by 2030.

The GWA is already helping workers fight sexual harassment and wage theft on the job. IAnd it is providing trainings on worker rights and job applications for workers who work – or want to work – in renewable energy. Next recruiting target: rooftop solar installers in the West.

All green workers – and anyone who wants to work in this sector – are welcome to join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenworkers

All green workers–and anyone who wants to work in this sector–

Sign the GWA petition demanding that the utilities use 80% renewable energy by 2030.

Check out the GWA website: https://www.greenworkers.org

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author.