Teachers' unions across the U.S. are incorporating climate initiatives into labor contracts to combat environmental issues in schools. A new report highlights examples from Chicago, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles, emphasizing financial benefits and community improvements. As federal support diminishes, local efforts become increasingly vital.
A recent report from the Building Power Resource Center and the Labor Network for Sustainability outlines how unionized teachers are advocating for climate action during contract negotiations with school districts. The document stresses that emphasizing the financial advantages of renewable energy can address climate change, enhance school conditions, and reduce costs for districts.
Specific examples include the Chicago Teachers Union in Illinois, which secured a contract adding solar panels to some school buildings and clean energy career pathways for students. In Minnesota, the Minneapolis Federation of Educators demanded an environmental issues task force and free metro passes for students. California's Los Angeles teachers union seeks to electrify the district's bus fleet and install electric vehicle charging stations at all schools.
Jackson Potter, vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, noted that Chicago Public Schools' average building age is 83 to 84 years, with contaminants like lead paint, lead pipes, mold, asbestos, and PCBs requiring an estimated $30 billion in upgrades. The district currently spends $500 million annually on patchwork repairs. "By our estimate, the district needs $30 billion worth of upgrades, and right now I think they spend $500 million a year to just do patch-up work," Potter said in an interview.
Potter explained that initial resistance to prioritizing climate issues shifted as discussions focused on tangible problems like asbestos and lead remediation, especially in communities affected by environmental racism. The union's contract also promotes student involvement in projects like solar installations through apprenticeships and project labor agreements with building trades, preparing them for jobs in clean energy, heat pumps, HVAC systems, geothermal, and electric vehicles.
Bradley Marianno, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, described this as "collective good bargaining," a progressive approach begun about 15 years ago in unions like those in Chicago and Los Angeles, benefiting both members and communities. However, he cautioned that members might feel core issues like wages are overlooked.
With federal incentives for climate action waning—such as funding for electric buses ended by the Trump administration—advocates say local union efforts are more urgent. Potter highlighted reallocating facility savings to instructional and social-emotional needs, like school nurses, rather than directly to salaries, as seen in Arkansas' Batesville School District, where solar savings boosted teacher pay.