Title
Calling on the City Council of Philadelphia to adopt the LOCAL GOVERNMENT GREEN JOBS PLEDGE.
Body
WHEREAS, The Local Government Green Jobs Pledge asks local governments across the United States to support the economic, environmental and social opportunities offered by building an inclusive green economy of high quality jobs and a thriving green-collar workforce; and
WHEREAS, The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates that unemployment is on the rise in Philadelphia with 46,500 Philadelphians unemployed as of July 2008, as compared to 40,000 unemployed persons in July of the previous year; and
WHEREAS, The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates that job creation is stagnant in Philadelphia with 1,100 fewer jobs in July of 2008 as compared to the previous year; and
WHEREAS, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that across the country real wages of nonsupervisory employees in the construction, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities industries were on average 3% lower in July of 2008 than the previous year; and
WHEREAS, The Blue Green Alliance identifies 553,000 Pennsylvanian jobs as having job growth or wage increase potential by implementing strategies to reduce global warming; and
WHEREAS, Recent research by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) indicates that the Greater Philadelphia Region ranks high against peer regions in its potential to be a center for the emerging Green economic sector, and that this sector was identified in DVRPC's "Post-Global Economic Development Strategy" as critical to our region's future economic success; and
WHEREAS, With the passage of Resolution 080266, this Council has expressed its desire to promote the proliferation of green jobs and encourage job-training organizations to partner with employers that specialize in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects; and
WHEREAS, Green jobs rebuild a strong middle class and provide pathways out of poverty by enabling low-income ...
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