Drafter
Clerk 07/23/2008
Title
A MOTION encouraging the formation of, training for and investment in green collar jobs.
Body
WHEREAS, there is an increasing awareness among individuals, businesses, labor unions, nonprofit agencies and governments that it is good public policy and good economic policy to promote the use of environmentally preferable goods and services, and
WHEREAS, new industries are emerging to meet the demand for environmentally preferable goods and services, and
WHEREAS, traditional industries are changing their practices to meet the demand for environmentally preferable goods and services, and
WHEREAS, the participants in the Prosperity Partnership have identified the Clean Technology Cluster as an economic development strategy that will promote what are becoming known as "green-collar jobs," and
WHEREAS, vocational schools, state-approved joint apprenticeship programs, community colleges and universities are developing new curricula to train the workforce that is needed to meet the labor force demand for green-collar jobs in new and traditional industries, and
WHEREAS, in the process of training workers for these green-collar jobs it is also possible and desirable to pursue equity and social justice goals by recruiting low-income and historically disadvantaged groups and individuals for training, and
WHEREAS, promoting green collar jobs is a specialized form of economic development, and as such requires collaboration with business representatives from industry sectors related to clean technology, labor unions representing workers in those industries or labor affiliates administering state-approved joint apprenticeship programs or labor-management partnership programs that train workers for these industries,, educational institutions, nonprofit agencies and various levels of governments;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. King County commits to continuing and expanding its efforts to create and support green-collar jobs by:
1. Constructing buildings that meet LEED standards;
2. Purchasing environmentally preferable products;
3. Prohibiting the expenditure of county funds, with very limited exceptions, to purchase individual-serving bottles of water; and
4. Using alternatives to fossil fuels when the use of such fuels does not create unintended negative consequences.
B. The council encourages the executive to engage the King County Jobs Initiative in the Clean Technology Cluster by:
1. Dedicating a portion of its funding to train low-income individuals for high-wage occupations or occupations that are part of career pathways to high-wage jobs, within relevant clean technology sectors;
2. Collaborating with enterpriseSeattle, the Joint Apprenticeship training Council, pre-apprenticeship programs, and private employers to identify the current skill requirements for entry-level green jobs that are high-wage occupations, or are part of career pathways to high-wage occupations;
3. Working with the Workforce Development Council to identify additional resources for entry-level green collar jobs with pathways to high-wage jobs, within relevant industry sectors;
4. Collaborating with vocational schools, community colleges and other training providers to develop short-term, pilot curriculum for entry-level jobs;
5. Including incumbents and graduates of green-job training programs as workers on King County-funded projects, where appropriate, through the use of apprenticeship utilization standards, on-the-job training, and other tools that connect training to work and demonstrate King County's commitment to expanding high-wage career opportunities in the an technology industries, and
6. Evaluating the effectiveness and appropriateness of pilot training programs for green-collar jobs that may be undertaken.