Green Jobs Conference: "Working in Unity, Greening Our Communities"

Implementing L.A.'s New Green Retrofit & Workforce Development Program

Particiipants in Greening Conference
Organizers Elsa Barboza, Linda Delp and Kent Wong
A diverse and distinguished audience attended the conference Organizers Elsa Barboza, L.A. Apollo Alliance/SCOPE; Linda Delp, UCLA-LOSH; and Kent Wong, UCLA Labor Center

Approximately 100 people attended a one-day conference focusing on L.A.'s Green Retrofit and Workforce Development Program at the UCLA Downtown Labor Center on August 5, 2009. Discussion at “Working in Unity, Greening Our Communities” centered on the goals of the Green Retrofit Ordinance in the context of the current sociopolitical and economic environment, and challenges and opportunities involved in moving the ordinance forward, including creating safe and healthy green jobs.

Students from the 2009 UCLA Community Scholars class (Green Collar Jobs, Green Buildings & Social Justice: Pathway to a Sustainable City) presented a preliminary report entitled “Roadmap to Retrofits”, describing the origins of the ordinance and giving detailed analysis regarding next steps.

Dave Sickler and Larry Frank Conference attendees with Linda Delp
Senior Labor Advisor Dave Sickler and L.A. Deputy Mayor Larry Frank Conference participants (left to right) Coralie La Salle, Linda Delp, Gloria Walton, Graciela Geyer, and Phil Thompson.

Additional speakers included L.A. Deputy Mayor Larry Frank; Elsa Barboza and Gloria Walton of L.A. Apollo Alliance/SCOPE; Philip Thompson of MIT; Andrew Westall from Councilman Wesson's office; Jane Paul of the Green L.A. Coalition; Daniel Villao of the California Construction Academy; Krista Kline from the Mayor's Office; Senior Labor Advisor David Sickler;  Richard Slawson of the L.A./O.C. Building and Construction Trades Council; Teresa Sanchez of SEIU Local 721; Romel Pascual of L.A. City; Manuel Pastor from the L.A. Mayor's Office; UCLA Labor Center Director Kent Wong; and UCLA-LOSH Director Linda Delp.   

IBEW hosted a barbeque
Manuel Pastor and Dave Sickler
IBEW Local 11 hosted a luncheon barqbeque celebration Manuel Pastor from the L.A. Mayor's Office with Dave Sickler

Look for the full report of “Roadmap to Retrofits”  available on this site in November, 2009. Click here for the Executive Summary of that report.

Finally, LOSH recently collaborated with the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) on a Good, Green, Safe Jobs Research and Policy Brief.