By Doug Cunningham

The Urban Agenda’s JoAnne Derwin says her group is working closely in New York City with unions to create green jobs, including in affordable housing construction and green retrofitting of buildings.

[Derwin]: “With the need to respond to climate change, what we need to do is seize that opportunity in order to create good, green-collar jobs. What we have been doing is working with unionized contractors to get them certified so that they're qualified to bid on that work.”

Urban Agenda is honoring Ray Pacino, a Vice-President of the Laborers International Union of North America. Derwin says he's influential in helping the laborers develop new markets like the 1-6 family affordable housing unit market.

[Derwin 2]: “You're proud that he is at the helm of one of the largest, most visionary, most progressive unions in America."