Climate Jobs Coalitions Convening 2026

Registration Opens

Breakfast

Welcome, Introductions, and Opening Presentation

• Brendan Griffith, President, NYC Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO) 
• Mike Fishman, President and Executive Director, Climate Jobs National Resource Center
• Lara Skinner, Executive Director, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University;  and Board Member, Climate Jobs National Resource Center

Climate Jobs Quick Takes
Each Climate Jobs Quick Take delivers insight into a defining issue of the moment, offering a clear-eyed look at what’s working, what’s at stake, and what’s needed from labor to lead.

State of Play: How Do We Keep Winning on Climate, Jobs, and Equity?
This conversation will surface what labor must do next to keep pushing ambitious, equitable, and pro-worker climate action in states across the country.

• Chris Hannan, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of California
• Gary LaBarbera, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and New York State Building and Construction Trades Council
• Moderated by Rick Levy, CJNRC Board Member; and former President, Texas AFL-CIO

High Rates, High Stakes: Addressing Energy Affordability for Working People
This discussion explores policy tools and labor-led solutions to protect ratepayers while expanding clean energy, highlighting what it takes to deliver affordability without compromising on climate action, equity, or good union jobs.

• Greg Lalevee, Business Manager, International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825
• Cynthia Phinney, President, Maine AFL-CIO
• Moderated by Lara Skinner, Executive Director, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University

Stronger Together: On the Promise of Coordinated Multi-State Action
This session spotlights why multi-state action is a powerful tool for shaping the clean energy economy amid federal attacks on climate policy.

• Patrick Crowley, President, Rhode Island AFL-CIO
• Chrissy Lynch, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
• Moderated by Vincent Alvarez, CJNRC Board Member; and past President, NYC Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO)

Table Discussions: What are your coalitions’ priorities in this moment? What are the opportunities for labor to lead an agenda to address climate, good jobs, and affordability?

Remarks

• Alexander Colvin, Kenneth F. Kahn ’69 Dean and Martin F. Scheinman ’75, MS ’76 Professor, ILR School at Cornell University 

Concurrent Panel Discussions
Participants may choose from four breakout panel options.

On the Home Front: New Approaches to Scaling, Aggregating, and Unionizing Residential Climate Work
Location: Studio 5
Examine how unions can rebuild density in the residential sector by advancing new models for aggregating and scaling building decarbonization work, while creating pathways to union jobs.

• Jeremiah Baumann, former Chief of Staff for Infrastructure, U.S. Department of Energy
• John Doherty, Senior Advisor, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
• Francis Eanes, Executive Director, Maine Labor Climate Council
• Nicole Vecchione, Director of Research, Laborers’ International Union of America Eastern Region
• Moderated by Melissa Shetler, Assistant Director of Labor Outreach and Workforce Equity, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University

Securing Today, Shaping Tomorrow: How Unions Can Win, Enforce, and Advance Clean Energy Labor Standards Across the Supply Chain
Location: Studio 3
As clean energy investment accelerates, labor standards are only as strong as our ability to enforce and expand them. We’ll explore how unions are winning, enforcing, and defending hard-won clean energy labor standards and leveraging those wins to help organize, build market share, and grow the labor movement.

• Roy Houseman, Legislative Director, United Steelworkers (USW)
• Ryan Pollock, Executive Director & Secretary Treasurer, Texas Building and Construction Trades Council
• Andres Puerta, Director of Special Projects, International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 30
• Joe Sweeney, Counsel, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting (III FFC)
• Moderated by Jason Shedlock, President, Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council

Powering Affordability: New Ideas Labor Can Champion to Deliver for Ratepayers and Workers
Location: Murray
Skyrocketing utility prices are grabbing headlines and determining election outcomes across the country. Dig into the “cost” question with leaders working to develop, win, and deliver solutions that combine affordable clean energy and union jobs.

• Steve Gardner, Director, New Jersey Laborers’-Employers’ Cooperation and Education Trust
• James Harrison, Director of Renewable Energy, Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO
• Wendy Jaglom-Kurtz, Manager, U.S. Program, RMI
• Cynthia Phinney, President, Maine AFL-CIO
• Moderated by Lynda Nguyen, Climate Jobs Associate, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University

Nuclear’s Moment: What’s Happening? What’s Possible? Labor’s Role in Making Small- and Large-Scale Nuclear a Reality
Location: Studio 6
Speakers break down the latest on nuclear technology and examine labor’s pivotal role in driving nuclear deployment forward, from project development and siting to ensuring these investments deliver safe, high-quality union jobs.

• Todd Allen, Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering, University of Michigan
• Joseph Checkley, International Representative, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 3rd District
• John Murphy, International Representative (retired), United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry 
• Mathew Williams, Central Executive Council Member, GMB, United Kingdom
• Moderated by Pria Mahadevan, Research and Policy Development Associate, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University

Lunch

Afternoon Program Begins

Building Successful Climate Jobs Coalitions to Meet this Moment: Navigating New Opportunities and Challenges
What does it take to build a climate jobs coalition that can deliver real wins—more union jobs, lower costs for working people, and emissions cuts—amid competing priorities and a shifting political landscape? Hear from climate jobs principals as they share lessons, challenges, and the strategies that are helping them meet this moment.

• Leonard Aguilar, President, Texas AFL-CIO
• Angela Ferritto, President, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
• Graham Trainor, President, Oregon Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
• Jason Wardrip, Business Manager, Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council
• Moderated by Dave Hancock, Deputy Executive Director, Climate Jobs National Resource Center

Coffee Break

The Data Center Boom is Here: How Can Workers, Ratepayers, and the Grid Keep Up? + Table Discussion
As data centers explode in number and scale, they are reshaping energy demand, straining grids, and generating local debates over land use, costs, and community impacts—all while creating new leverage points for labor. Following a panel presentation, participants will discuss what impact the data center boom is having in their states, what opportunities and challenges it creates, and how data centers could spur clean energy deployment while delivering real public benefits and good union jobs.

• Rob Bair, President, Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council
• Heather Kurtenbach, President, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council 
• Chrissy Lynch, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
• Moderated by Lara Skinner, Executive Director, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University

Closing Reflections: Looking Ahead
Climate Jobs National Resource Center Board Members discuss key lessons learned and the work ahead, setting the stage for a broader discussion with our climate jobs allies at the Climate Jobs Summit.

Reception and Dinner