New Jersey Unions Launch Clean Energy Job Coalition

New Jersey workers just got a powerful new advocate for their future, and it runs on sunshine.

Climate Jobs New Jersey launched this week as a coalition of labor unions ready to transform how the Garden State powers itself. The group wants New Jersey to stop sending money out of state for energy and instead create thousands of good-paying union jobs by building solar panels and battery storage right at home.

"New Jersey has a long history of building and innovating, but when it comes to building our own energy, we have lost our way," said Charlie Wowkanech, president of New Jersey AFL-CIO and Climate Jobs NJ. The state currently imports most of its energy from elsewhere, driving up costs for families and businesses.

The coalition's plan tackles two problems at once. High energy bills have squeezed New Jersey households for years. At the same time, the clean energy sector has grown nationally, but many jobs lack union protections and family-sustaining wages.

Climate Jobs NJ wants to flip that script. Their blueprint calls for a statewide solar and storage program built entirely by union workers, guaranteeing strong wages and benefits on every project.

Ana Maria Hill, VP and New Jersey State Director of 32BJ SEIU, put it simply: "32BJ members know firsthand that the climate crisis is already here. That's why we're fighting to scale up clean energy in New Jersey and to ensure those projects create union jobs with strong wages and benefits for working people."

The coalition based its strategy on research from Cornell University's Climate Jobs Institute. That report maps out exactly how New Jersey can build a robust clean energy economy while creating quality careers and addressing climate change.

The Ripple Effect

When New Jersey builds its own energy instead of importing it, the benefits spread far beyond individual paychecks. Local communities see economic growth as construction projects hire nearby workers. Families gain access to stable, well-paying careers in a growing industry. The state keeps more money circulating in its own economy instead of sending it elsewhere.

The coalition's push for state control of energy planning also means New Jersey residents would have more say in their energy future. Projects could be designed to meet the state's actual needs rather than outside interests.

This approach shows what real climate action looks like when workers lead the charge.