FROM: Ostroff Associates

DATE: March 23, 2021

RE: Just Transition Working Group

Co-Chairs
• Roberta Reardon, Co-Chair, Commissioner, New York State Department of Labor
• Doreen M. Harris, Co-Chair, Acting President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority

Members
• RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner, Homes and Community Renewal
• John Howard, Interim Chair, New York State Public Service Commission
• Vincent Albanese, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, LIUNA
• Omar Freilla, Founder and Coordinator, Green Worker Cooperatives
• Henry A. Garrido, Executive Director, DC 37
• Patrick Jackson, Director of Global Energy Management, Corning, Inc.
• Gary LaBarbera, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York
• Michael Padgett, Vice President of Energy, Alcoa
• Brian Raley, Principal Staff Engineer, Global Foundries
• James Shillitto, President, Utilities Workers Union of America Local 1-2
• Maritza Silva-Farrell, Executive Director, ALIGN
• Theodore J. Skerpon, President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 97
and Chair, Utility Labor Council of New York
• Lara Skinner, Executive Director, The Worker Institute, Cornell University
• Candis Tolliver, Political Director, 32BJ SEIU
• Randy Wolken, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manufacturers Association of Central
New York and Manufacturers Alliance

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Workforce Recommendations Discussion

Commissioner Reardon emphasized that the Just Transition Working Group (JTWG) is on a different
timeline compared to the other advisory panels. The JTWG will report recommendations to the Climate
Action Council in April but, unlike other groups these are subject to change seeing that the Jobs Study is
not finished. When the Jobs Study is finished later in the year, the JTWG will most likely be called back to
reconvene and make necessary changes to this set of recommendations.

Henry Garrido: There are a lot of people that are former Federal Work for Welfare recipients where
people receive job training one day a week and work the other four days. How will New York job training
programs impact those already in the Federal program? Additionally, how will these programs impact
public sector employees or those that are working under a public work agreement?
• Commissioner Reardon responded that those are both questions that will need to be fleshed
out down the road. NYSDOL views the career ladder as a key tool in targeting job training
recipients. New York State shouldn’t just look at where a worker currently is but rather their
potential based on previous experience and available trainings. For example, there have been
many fields where New York State have battled to get workers to $15 an hour. Now that
workers are receiving this wage it doesn’t mean that they should be capped at that job. For
example, many administrative personnel may have the potential to transition into green energy
auditing. Furthermore, NYSERDA stated that they view the current initiatives as the tools that
will be available rather than actual outputs at this stage of the process. Also, NYSERDA has
already been working with State agencies and municipalities to provide trainings on solar. They
have done so with OGS and OPRHP.

Miritza Silva-Farrell: There have been situations where a qualified applicant can not get into a job
training program because they fail a certain test. How can the State help with this? Also, how will these
programs be accessible to immigrant communities?
• NYSERDA staff stated that they often see soft skills such as knowledge of computer use or
interpersonal skills as a barrier in accessing certain job training programs. NYSERDA has already
started to implement soft skills training along with hard skills training. In regards to program
access for immigrant communities, NYSERDA staff said that local community-based organization
are the best way to ensure that disadvantaged communities have access to new job training
opportunities.

Vinnie Albanese: In regard to the $8.2 million just announced by the Department of Treasury, where
would these training programs take place and what type of specific jobs are available?
• NYSERDA staff stated that these are funds for existing programs to support training for jobs like
HVAC and heat pump maintenance. Many of the jobs have been in New York City but it is a
statewide program.

Lara Skinner: The JTWG needs to think big picture about what these recommendations are conveying to
the general public. Communities are paying close attention and there needs to be a very concise
message as to what the JTWG is recommending the CAC implement.

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Gary LaBarbera: There is a lot of concern in the industry about what jobs are going to be available, what
jobs may be lost and what opportunities there will be to benefit from future trainings. Many industries
want to prepare for the future and want a level of certainty that they are positioning themselves in the
right way. However, if they are left in the dark in terms of what to prepare for it creates more
unnecessary stress across many sectors.

Doreen Harris: These initial recommendations are not final by any means. The JTWG still needs to see
the final results of the jobs study as well as come back and flesh these ideas out once other panels
report their recommendations. From there, the JTWG will be able to report more details and this will
hopefully help industries as they plan for the future. It is also helpful to refer to the principles that the
JTWG distributed to all the advisory panels at the start of the panel process.

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