Powering Chicago Member Joins Climate Jobs Illinois Coalition

CHICAGO, Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Powering Chicago, the voice of Chicago's unionized electrical industry, announced today that member Bob Hattier has been appointed to Climate Jobs Illinois, a coalition of labor organizations advocating for a pro-worker, pro-climate agenda in Illinois. A state affiliate of the Climate Jobs National Resource Center, Climate Jobs Illinois is independent of energy developers and utilities, and is united around a shared goal of combating climate change while reversing income inequality. 

By focusing on the construction of clean energy sources as a way to combat the climate crisis, Climate Jobs Illinois seeks to spur the creation of a more equitable and clean economy. The coalition is comprised of representatives from a number of Illinois labor unions, including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134, and represents the interests of hundreds of thousands of Illinois working men and women who are the best trained and skilled to build Illinois' new clean-energy economy from the ground up. The coalition will advocate for strong labor standards—such as prevailing wage and project labor agreements, with union apprentice trained workers—to provide a pathway to a strong middle class in Illinois.

"As Illinois continues to pursue a clean energy future, it is paramount that the IBEW and our partner ECA contractors have a seat at the table," said IBEW Local 134 Business Representative Bob Hattier. "The unionized electrical industry has been at the forefront in the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, and we provide the qualified workforce these industries demand. As a member of the Illinois Climate Jobs Executive Committee, I will continue to advocate for our members in the drive to strengthen labor standards on all energy projects in our state."

The Coalition's work in the energy, building and transportation sectors will put forward proposals that reduce emissions while creating sustainable jobs in Illinois. The group will put forward a series of proposals that will include supporting new investments in wind and solar projects, improving fleet efficiency and enhancing public transit infrastructure, improving energy efficiency in public commercial and residential spaces, and leveraging Illinois' clean energy natural resources, strong labor pool, ready-made apprentice programs and manufacturing infrastructure.

"Labor unions built this country, and it's only fitting that as we grapple with how to address climate change and reinvigorate the middle class, that labor unions once again play a leadership role in shaping a better future," said Powering Chicago Director Elbert Walters III. "The unionized electrical industry has made significant investments in renewable energy training in recent years, including a 25-acre training facility at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute, because we believe that a more sustainable future is possible and we want to be the ones continuing to power Chicagoland for another 100+ years. We're looking forward to supporting the work that Bob Hattier and the rest of the members of the Coalition are doing in the coming months."

For additional information about the Climate Jobs Illinois coalition, please visit https://climatejobsillinois.org/our-work/.

About Powering Chicago

Bringing together the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134 electricians and the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) of the City of Chicago, Powering Chicago is an electrical industry labor-management partnership that invests in consistently better construction, better careers and better communities within the metro Chicago region. Employing the latest technology, its members are elevating industry performance through their commitment to safety, level of experience and reliability, while also investing in the future of skilled labor through an innovative apprenticeship program that is paving the way for the next generation of skilled electricians. For additional information, visit poweringchicago.com.

SOURCE Powering Chicago