Last year, when some influential factions of California’s major electrical union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), saw the financial size of the solar pot being debated in California, they wanted a piece of the action.
The IBEW went on to insist that all future work related to California’s Million Solar Roofs bill would have to be done with licensed electricians and a specific type of license that, not coincidentally, most solar installers do not have, and most IBEW members do have.
One solar installer says, “The labor unions saw the solar industry was about to have lots of dollars pumped into it and they jumped on board. It wasn’t for safety, it was basically a way to hijack the process and protect their own interests….”
California’s Million Solar Roofs bill hasn’t solved the issues. Story here.