Electrical Workers Complete Largest Solar Installation in Washington, D.C., Metro Area
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“As big as a football field”—the phrase that describes something really big takes on new meaning after members of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 helped FedEx Field “go green.” Union members equipped FedEx Field, home of the region’s NFL team, with the largest solar-power installation ever undertaken in the region. As highlighted in the Local 26 magazine, INCharge:
In less than three months, the crew of over 100 Local 26 workers installed over 8,000 solar panels at FedEx Field, connected by over 19 miles of new wiring. Beyond the solar panels above the parking lot and affixed to the side of the stadium, more solar power is captured by the solar sculpture of a football player—affectionately dubbed “solar man” by the Local 26 crew—that can be seen outside one of the stadium’s main entrances. The solar panels create enough energy to meet all of the stadium’s power needs on non-game days, and about 20 percent of the stadium’s power during a game, keeping 1,780 metric tons of carbon out of the atmosphere while keeping the lights shining bright on the Redskins. “This installation shows how, through innovation, creativity and expertise, we are working towards a more secure energy future,” said David Crane, CEO of NRG, which oversaw the design and installation of the solar project.
America’s Future: Making the Contract for the American Dream a Reality
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Dave Johnson, a fellow at the Campaign for America’s Future, sends us this.
The Take Back the American Dream conference opened Tuesday with a discussion on the “Contract for the American Dream.” Deepak Bhargava of the Center for Community Change began by saying that there is a movement in America today and it’s not the tea party—it’s the American Dream Movement. People are working to build a huge movement that can meet this huge moment.
Our political system captured by powerful interests and angry voices. The American Dream movement is an effort to knit together the grassroots organizing that is already going on around the country and spark and inspire more. Reaching out to thousands of people through house parties and other events.
Justin Rubin of MoveOn described how the Contract for the American Dream was created by millions of Americans. First, dozens of organizations such as MoveOn and the Center for Community Change asked people what should be in a Contract for the American Dream.
Mexican Leaders Call for Solidarity Against Injustices
Brenda Loya in AFL-CIO Media Affairs sends us this report.
Mexican independent union leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., to brief, educate and express urgency to congressional leaders on the labor struggles and issues they’re currently facing in Mexico. Members of the Mexican Electrical Workers’ Union (SME) have remained in Mexico City’s main square (Zocalo) for the past six months, demanding justice over the administration’s war on unions. The government fired the SME’s 44,000 members in October 2009 and over the past two years, the fight over the privatization of electricity and the repression of one of Mexico’s oldest and most democratic unions has escalated. The briefing shed light on this ongoing struggle and the need for U.S. solidarity.
Sponsored by the United Steelworkers (USW), the AFL-CIO and Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine) on behalf of the Congressional Labor Caucus and International Worker Rights Caucus, the briefing focused on cross-border economic, social and family ties that bind the United States and Mexico. Mexican workers shared stories of how workers’ rights in Mexico have diminished since the approval of NAFTA. With the pending Colombia, Panama and Korea trade agreements in mind, workers emphasized that NAFTA and free trade agreements lower living standards for both U.S. and Mexican workers and have increased violence.
WTO Upholds Obama’s Tire Industry Relief Decision
The World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Appellate Body yesterday upheld President Obama’s decision based on U.S. trade law to provide relief for American tire industry workers against surging imports from China of passenger and light truck tires.
In September 2009, Obama became the first president to enforce U.S. trade law when he imposed tariffs to protect domestic workers against a surge in tire imports from China. The original complaint came from the United Steelworkers (USW), and Obama’s decision led to a rebound in the tire industry.
China Drops Some Wind Power Subsidies After USW Complaint
Here’s some good news on the trade front: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk announced today that China has ended certain wind power equipment subsidies that gave its companies an unfair advantage in the global market.
The action came after the United Steelworkers (USW) filed a Section 301 trade complaint last October charging that China’s government uses hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies, performance requirements, preferential practices and other illegal trade activities to dominate the renewable energy market.
The subsidies take the form of grants to Chinese wind turbine manufacturers that agreed to use key parts and components made in China rather than purchasing imports. The size of the individual grants range between $6.7 million and $22.5 million, according to the USTR.
BlueGreen Alliance, Apollo Alliance Merge To Strengthen Push for Green Jobs
The BlueGreen Alliance and Apollo Alliance today announced a merger to strengthen and unify the movement to build a clean energy, good jobs economy to fuel U.S. job creation. The newly unified organization will call on Washington to focus anew on creating good jobs, securing America’s energy future and preserving the environment for future generations.
Beginning July 1, the two organizations will combine to become the BlueGreen Alliance, which will be home to the Apollo Alliance project. United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard and Sierra Club Chair Carl Pope will continue as co-chairs, and David Foster will continue as executive director.
Earlier this year, the BlueGreen Alliance launched Jobs21!, a nine-state grassroots campaign calling for a national jobs plan to put America back to work building the industries of the 21st century here in the United States. This initiative will be strengthened through coordination with the Apollo Alliance’s strong network of state and local affiliates–now dubbed BlueGreen Apollo Alliances. It will also be enhanced by Apollo’s recently-launched Clean Transportation Manufacturing Action Plan (TMAP) project that calls for federal investment in clean transportation that will create 3.7 million direct and indirect jobs over six years and will save Americans up to $5,000 per family each year in commuting costs.
Green Jobs, Good Jobs Conference: Act Now to Create Green Economy
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Hundreds of union members and environmental activists will spend the day on Capitol Hill Thursday delivering one message to lawmakers: We must quickly put aside partisan bickering and make a long-term national commitment to create a green economy and make serious investments in infrastructure, education, research and development and manufacturing.
The lobby day is the culmination of the three-day Green Jobs, Good Jobs Conference, sponsored by the Blue Green Alliance. Throughout the conference, participants were reminded that our trading partners like China and Germany have developed long-range industrial and investment plans and are reaping the benefits, leaving us behind in the race to lead the clean energy technology market.
USW Files Complaint Over Union Official’s Arrest in Mexico
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The United Steelworkers (USW) is filing a formal protest with the U.S. State Department after USW Sub-District Director Manny Armenta was arrested this week by Mexican border guards while on his way to meet with lawyers for the Los Mineros Mexican miners union.
On Jan. 24, a customs officer stopped Armenta’s car, which is leased by the union, accusing him of driving a stolen vehicle. He presented documentation, but to no avail. Armenta was arrested, detained overnight and released early Jan. 25 after posting a bond of 80,000 pesos (about $7,750).
The car was impounded, and it has not been returned. His wallet was taken from him in the arrest, but later returned, minus $700 in cash, according to the union.
WTO Ruling Shows Trade Law Can Work for Workers
A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel’s ruling in favor of U.S. tariffs on passenger and light truck tires made in China shows “the rules of trade, when vigorously enforced, can be made to work for working people,” United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo Gerard said.
In September 2009, President Obama became the first president to enforce U.S. trade law when he imposed tariffs to protect domestic workers against a surge in tire imports from China. The original complaint came from the USW, and Obama’s decision led to a rebound in the tire industry.
China appealed the decision to the WTO and the ruling was announced yesterday. Gerard applauded the Obama administration for “standing up and defending American jobs in its original decision to impose relief and in its strong defense of that action at the WTO.”
Fair trade law enforcement should be the standard of our government in requiring China to fulfill its obligations under its accession agreement with the WTO more than a decade ago.
Political Corruption: GOP Embraces the Ken Lay Way
The GOP has adopted the Ken Lay principles—that is obfuscation, false statements and feigned innocence. Republicans are obfuscating about the real reason for their opposition to extending unemployment benefits, the way Enron CEO Ken Lay concealed the truth about billions in losses his corporation racked up.
Lay assured Enron workers the corporation was strong—five weeks before it failed. When the nation’s seventh largest corporation collapsed into bankruptcy in 2001, Lay walked away, by his own estimate, with $20 million. By contrast, Enron’s 4,000 workers and creditors left with debts. The employees lost their jobs and pensions, and the creditors lost $65 billion.
A jury, and a judge in a separate case, convicted Lay in 2006—finding him guilty of fraud, conspiracy and false statements. He obscured Enron’s massive losses with accounting hocus-pocus then lied about it so pervasively and persuasively that in February 2001, 10 months before the bankruptcy, Fortune magazine awarded Enron first place for innovation and second for management quality.
Republican acolytes of the Ken Lay way contend that the federal budget deficit prohibits spending $65 billion to extend emergency unemployment insurance for a year. But, at the same time, they insist the deficit doesn’t constrain extending tax cuts to the richest 1 percent at a cost of $61 billion for the year 2011. It’s masterful. And as corrupt as Ken Lay.
