< Previous | Contents | Next >
Develop Labor-Management Partnerships To Prepare for the Clean Energy Economy
Despite huge job creation potential in the transition to a clean energy economy, dramatic change also comes with risks for workers, communities, and employers. All parties can benefit if large employers collaborate with the IAM on long-range planning and help recruit and train a skilled workforce that is prepared to fill industry needs for years to come. Dialogue can help companies identify and take advantage of new opportunities in the clean energy economy.
The IAM’s success stories at Voith Hydro and Cleveland-Cliffs point to “win-win” scenarios in emerging clean energy industries. In both cases, the IAM helped management secure valuable tax credits that enabled the companies to shift existing production lines toward in-demand green technologies, all while growing union jobs.
The IAM can work with companies to take advantage of tax credits, preserve jobs, and expand bargaining in the new economy. Joint labor-management plans to reskill workers could preserve jobs while making employers more adaptive. Worksite decarbonization can reduce emissions, improve working conditions, and save employers money. When employers resist necessary action, the IAM can use bargaining and worksite organizing to force their hands. Community and political allies can also add pressure on employers to initiate dialogue–a model that is becoming increasingly common in Europe.387