Unions see greenbacks in 'green' future - By Moises Velasquez-Manoff , CS Monitor
Union leaders are betting that a green economy will not only address the issue of climate change, it will also provide a bonanza of well-paying manufacturing jobs -- the kinds of jobs that have largely vanished from the United States in recent decades. A proliferation of wind turbines and solar panels means more factories, while ever more stringent efficiency standards imply the need for inspectors and experts in sealing and insulating.
'From labor unions' point of view, these are the kinds of jobs their unions are most prepared for,' says Jeff Rickert, vice president of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of the major environmental and labor organizations.
Having worked in steel mills and paper plants, many in the workforce already possess the appropriate skill set, say labor leaders. All that's needed are incentives at the federal level, and America will be well on its way toward what some call a 'third industrial revolution.'