California Labor Federation Conference Highlights Green Economy and Jobs

by Mike Hall, May 24, 2008

Some 400 union leaders, educators, environmentalists, economists, policymakers and others are set to gather June 11-13 in Los Angeles to explore ways to fight climate change, move to a green economy and promote economic security.

You still have time to register for the Adapting to Change conference, sponsored by the California Labor Federation’s Workforce and Economic Development (WED) program and its Building Workforce Partnerships initiative.

Speakers and workshops will examine how to transition to a green economy and develop “green collar” jobs and the new educational, economic and social supports needed to make the transition successful.

Sessions also will explore some of the most successful practices from around the country in strengthening high-wage industries and private and public partnerships in retraining current and jobless workers for new employment opportunities. In addition, the workshops will look at how labor, management, government and community forces can work together in developing innovative workforce initiatives. Click here for more on the workshops.

Says WED Assistant Director Ellen Baughman:

Realizing a green economy, and its social and stimulatory benefits, demands that we address a fundamental challenge: the incongruity between our training and education structures and fast changing technology, globalization, and demographic shifts. The ability of our major public and private institutions to adjust to 21st century realities requires bold economic and labor-market policies, political leadership, and taking creative practices to scale.

The keynote speaker is Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University and former director of the United Nation’s Millennium Project. He is recognized as a leading voice for combining economic development with environmental sustainability.

Also scheduled to speak are AFL-CIO Policy Director Thea Lee; Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation; Barbara Byrd, Oregon AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer; Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; Economic Policy Institute (EPI) President Lawrence Mishel; Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project; and Dan Marschall, AFL-CIO workforce development policy specialist. Click here for a full list of speakers.

For more information on the conference click here. Click here to register.

WED’s Building Workforce Partnerships initiative is a collaboration of the California Employment Development Department, California EDGE Campaign, California Apollo Alliance, California’s Regional Rapid Response Roundtables and the UC Berkeley Labor Center.

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