Labor & Employment Law

Building Star Can Create 185,000 Green Jobs This Year

By Mike Hall

In the current recession, no sector has been harder hit than the construction industry, which has lost more than 2 million jobs.  The unemployment rate in the construction industry is a staggering 27 percent, almost triple the overall unemployment rate.

You can help put building and construction trades workers back on the job by contacting your senators and representatives and urging them to support Building Star-H.R. 5476 and S. 3079. The legislation would provide building owners rebates and low-cost financing options for energy-efficient renovations in existing buildings.

It would, says the Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA):

mobilize building owners, construction firms, the building trades and manufacturers and distributors of building supplies to create jobs NOW in 2010, not later. Building Star will put sheet metal workers back to work retrofitting existing buildings, and would do so fast.

If acted on quickly, the bill could create as many as 185,000 jobs this year in construction, manufacturing and support jobs.

Click here to send a message to your lawmakers.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), one of the bill’s cosponsors, says:

Clean energy is not only the next great growth industry, but it’s an engine for job creation today. Energy-efficiency programs like ?Building Star’ will put Americans to work in construction and manufacturing and save small businesses money as we strive for American energy independence.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on June 13, 2010 (boomark / email).