A newly formed coalition of Oregon labor unions will advocate for a union-built transition to clean energy. And it has a big head start on how to achieve that: a book-length set of policy recommendations from the Climate Jobs Institute, part of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
The group is called Climate Jobs Oregon. It held its public launch in Portland Jan. 23 at the IBEW Local 48 hall in Portland, followed by tours of four construction union training centers. The launch party was packed with state, county, and city elected officials and their staffs, and attendees applauded the commitment of sponsoring labor unions to promote green jobs that are good jobs too.
Early sponsors of the group include the Oregon AFL-CIO; Oregon Building Trades Unions; IBEW locals 48, 125, and 932; Operating Engineers Local 701; Ironworkers Local 29; Laborers Local 737 and the Oregon and Southern Idaho District Council of Laborers; and Sheet Metal Workers Local 16.
Legally the coalition consists of two tax-exempt non-profit organizations: an educational group called Climate Jobs Oregon, and a political advocacy arm called Climate Jobs Oregon Action Fund. Both list Oregon AFL-CIO president Graham Trainor as president in founding documents filed with the Oregon Secretary of State. Taking action to create the group was approved by convention delegates at the 2025 Oregon AFL-CIO convention.
Climate Jobs Oregon is modeled on similar groups that have formed in other states: Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. Each group has Climate Jobs in its name, and union jobs are at the heart of it: The New York group helped win a requirement for project labor agreements in the construction of new renewable power generation.
Climate Jobs Oregon is in the final stages of hiring a full-time staff person who would likely start in March. Whoever that is, they’ll have plenty to do, including reforming siting and permitting processes to speed up energy development; promoting new energy generation, storage, and transmission; and advocating for union-built green public housing.
CLARIFICATION: As initially published, we listed United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 290 as an early sponsor, but Local 290 had withdrawn by the time the article appeared. Nine other labor organizations remain in the coalition.
MORE Read the report from the Climate Jobs Institute of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations: A Bold Vision for Climate Jobs in Oregon.
