Aug. 16, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT
Natalie Bauer Luce
nbl@cullotonbauerluce.com

Historic climate law will put millions of union men and women to work across the country building clean energy economy of the future

CHICAGO — Climate Jobs Illinois (CJI) today applauded President Joe Biden’s enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The IRA will create millions of union jobs in construction and manufacturing through clean energy tax credits for all types of renewable energy technology, including solar, wind, hydrogen and storage. To receive these credits, developers must pay workers a prevailing wage and offer expanded apprenticeship opportunities.

CJI Executive Director Joe Duffy issued the following statement in support of the landmark measure:

“The Inflation Reduction Act will bring the fight to climate change on an unprecedented scale with historic investments in renewable energy. Most importantly, it will do so by putting working people first. Having enacted a similar law in Illinois that sets the strongest labor standards in the country and expands job and training opportunities for Black and Brown communities, we applaud President Biden for signing this transformative legislation. Our members are ready to get to work building the new clean energy economy.”

About Climate Jobs Illinois

Climate Jobs Illinois represents the hundreds of thousands of Illinois working men and women who are best equipped to build Illinois’ new clean-energy economy from the ground up. Executive Committee members of Climate Jobs Illinois are: Illinois AFL-CIO, Chicago Federation of Labor, Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers,
International Association of Bridge Structural Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers State Council, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150,
Laborers International Union of North America Great Lakes Region, Laborers International Union of North America Midwest Region and the Service Employees International Union State Council.


Climate Jobs Illinois is a state affiliate of the Climate Jobs National Resource Center. CJI has partnered with The Project for Middle Class Renewal at UIUC, Illinois Economic Policy Institute and Cornell University Worker Institute.

To learn more, visit https://climatejobsillinois.org, and follow CJI at @ClimateJobsIL on Twitter or join its Facebook page. 

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