The labor-climate movement in the U.S. laid the groundwork for the Green
New Deal by building a base within labor for supporting climate
protection as a vehicle for good jobs. But as we confront the climate
crisis and seek environmental justice, a "jobs vs. environment"
discourse often pits workers against climate activists. How can we make
a "just transition" moving away from fossil fuels, while also
compensating for the human cost when jobs are lost or displaced?
In his timely book, Clean Air and Good Jobs, Todd Vachon examines the
labor-climate movement and demonstrates what can be envisioned and
accomplished when climate justice is on labor's agenda and unions work
together with other social movements to formulate bold solutions to the
climate crisis. Vachon profiles the workers and union leaders who have
been waging a slow, but steadily growing revolution within their unions
to make labor as a whole an active and progressive champion for both
workers and the environment.
Clean Air and Good Jobs examines the "movement within the movement"
offering useful solutions to the dual crises of climate and inequality.