New Class of Fellows and GWA Supporting Solar in Ohio!

GWA is making strides in Ohio! On May 19-20, we held a training for new fellows Ann Nguyen, Josh Dixon, and Levi Covington in Columbus. The GWA activists, who all work in solar, were joined by GWA leaders and former fellows Annie Covington and Felicia Allen. On Sunday night, we had our monthly organizing committee call with 25 GWA activists from the wind and solar fields. And we topped off a great meeting by reaching the 1,500 membership mark, thanks to Ann, Felicia and Annie, who did a Facebook invite blitz that added over 40 members in a matter of hours. Next up: 2,000 members by the end of the year!

Later that week, Annie, Josh, Ann and Felicia joined other GWA members at a hearing for the Frasier Solar Farm in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. They showed support for the project and talked to community residents about why the project will benefit Ohio workers. After a Memorial Day weekend GWA cookout in Portsmouth, members attended a May 29 public information session for the Eastern Cottontail Solar Project in Fairfield County. GWA members spoke with project developers and union members and made plans to work together as the project approval process begins.

Special shout-out to GWA lead organizer Nico Ries for managing the work in Ohio. They'll be continuing to work with Ohio members as we attend other solar project hearings later this month and continue to grow our membership in the Buckeye state!

Spreading the Word 💬

In April, GWA members were very busy sharing their experiences in the renewable energy field with allies nationwide. They connected with other workers and supporters to spread the

word about our movement.

Solar worker Joseph Salcido joined other workers on a webinar about worker organizing and climate issues organized by EWOC, the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee, and LNS, the Labor Network for Sustainability. A storm shut down power at the hotel he was staying at for work, but Joseph didn't miss a beat and did the Zoom from the phone in his car! He did a great job discussing worker issues in the utility-scale renewable field and how GWA members are coming together to improve conditions. A crew of GWA members Zoomed in to show support. GWA lead organizer Nico Ries and Executive Director Matthew Mayers joined members Patrick Foeday and Ann Hernandez at the largest-ever Labor Notes conference in Chicago, which had over 4,500 participants. Patrick did a fantastic job recounting his experiences as a wind tech and GWA leader in a panel on organizing in the renewable industry, along with members from the Utility Workers Union, IBEW, and CWA. GWA members Levi Covington, Oscar Pineda, and Annie Covington participated in a panel about working conditions in New York's solar industry. Cornell ILR's Climate Jobs Institute organized the panel to introduce a new report on the challenges facing workers in the state's solar field. The report is based on over 250 survey responses from workers (many GWA members). Levi, Oscar, and Annie brought their first-hand experiences from the field to the audience and came away with meaningful connections to further our work.

GWA in the Windy City!

On March 17-19, GWA leaders from across the country gathered in Chicago for our third annual national meeting. We were welcomed by the iconic green-colored Chicago River, which some attributed to St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Still, we knew it was a sign of the Windy City's hospitality towards our members!

Members who work in utility-scale solar and wind spent two days discussing how to build GWA and improve conditions in the renewable field. They honed their skills in talking to co-workers about GWA and building teams to resolve workplace issues. We brainstormed plans for our temp agency and wind safety campaigns and reviewed our upcoming job site app. We met with an organizer from Warehouse Workers for Justice, a Chicago-area worker center also taking on temp agencies. We also took a labor history tour of Pullman National Historic Park and enjoyed a game of Jeopardy based on lessons learned!

It was a heartening sight to see a mix of long-time leaders and new activists at the meeting, all united by a common purpose. The leaders, despite the challenges of taking time away from work and family, showed their unwavering commitment to our cause. The meeting was a testament to the hard work of GWA's small but mighty staff, and it left us all feeling energized. Members left with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to build our worker movement and recruit more members into GWA. It's a thrilling sight to see the leadership ranks in GWA grow as we organize to transform the renewable energy field!