On today’s episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Jason Walsh, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance, reflected on the organization’s 20-year journey uniting labor and environmental movements. Walsh discussed the origins of the coalition, its influence on public policy, and the challenges it faces amid shifting political landscapes.
Walsh began by explaining the history of collaboration between labor and environmental groups, which he said existed as early as the 1970s. However, true, sustained partnerships began to take shape in the 1990s amid mutual opposition to trade policies such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), he said. Leaders such as the United Steelworkers’ Leo Gerard and the Sierra Club’s Carl Pope recognized that both workers and environmentalists were fighting for justice against corporate interests. Walsh said this realization led to the formal creation of the BlueGreen Alliance in 2006. At its core, he said the coalition’s guiding principle is that the country does not have to choose between good jobs and a clean environment—it can and must have both.
Next, Walsh highlighted how the BlueGreen Alliance’s influence grew during the Obama Administration, especially in response to the economic transition away from coal. He described the group’s advocacy work around the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which infused billions of dollars into clean energy and workforce development. Walsh discussed his role in the Obama Administration’s efforts to support coal communities through economic diversification, demonstrating the Alliance’s commitment to ensuring workers and communities were not left behind in the shift to green energy. He said these efforts illustrate the coalition’s focus on practical solutions and just transition for those impacted by changes in America’s energy landscape.
Finally, Walsh discussed the Alliance’s strategy during and after the tumultuous first Trump Administration, as well as its influence on recent policy, including the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. Walsh described an internal reckoning after 2016 to assess why working-class voters responded as they did and how climate policy could better address their concerns. This led to the creation of the Solidarity for Climate Action platform, tying labor standards and manufacturing investment directly to clean energy and climate policy for the first time. Walsh said the Alliance’s advocacy ensured that the Inflation Reduction Act not only invested in climate action but also embedded provisions for labor standards and support for affected communities. He said this demonstrated how successful coalition-building can advance both environmental and economic justice.
For more from Walsh, listen to the full episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast above.
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