What Labor Network for Sustainability does

Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Joe Uehlein, former secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO's Industrial Division, and co-founded by labor historian Jeremy Brecher. Headquartered at P.O. Box #5780, Takoma Park, Maryland, LNS operates as a bridge-builder between the U.S. labor movement and climate/environmental justice communities, an alignment that historically has been adversarial. The organization's stated mission is to help unions and their allies advance a climate action program that is ecologically sustainable and economically just.

LNS does not develop proprietary technology; its product surface consists of organizing programs, educational resources, and published analytical frameworks. Programmatic lines include Public Sector Organizing (with AFSCME Climate Caucus and Educators Climate Action Network), Transportation Justice (Transit Equity Network, Public Rail Now, Just EV Transition), Green New Deal from Below (with California Labor for Climate Jobs), Young Worker Project (political education, organizing incubator, Young Worker Listening Project), and Climate-Labor Solidarity Campaigns (UAW and APWU initiatives). Resource outputs include the Just Transition Listening Project Report, the Climate Insurgency Trilogy, "18 Strategies for a Green New Deal," Tools for Union Members (including pension divestment guidance), the Strike! commentary series by Jeremy Brecher distributed via Substack, the monthly newsletter "Making a Living on a Living Planet" (Edition #105, July-August 2026), and the multi-city Three Roads Book & Music Tour.

Revenue derives from individual donations (via Stripe and check, tax-deductible), tiered organizational memberships ($250-$1,000 supporting; $1,000-$5,000+ partner, both annual), and foundation grants supporting named initiatives. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Earthworks Executive Director Jennifer Krill and includes leaders from Washington State Labor Council, Maine AFL-CIO, North Shore AFL-CIO, Familias Unidas por la Justicia, Taproot Earth, Climate Justice Alliance, Flint Rising, and other partner organizations. Current staff of approximately 6 includes Executive Director Joshua Dedmond (based in Jackson, Mississippi), Director of Strategic Campaigns Sydney Ghazarian, Operations Director Margaret Chambers, Development Manager Yasmin Gabriel, Senior Strategic Advisor Jeremy Brecher, and Communications Apprentice Gianna Sansonetti. Distribution runs through the LNS website (labor4sustainability.org), social channels (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, Bluesky), Substack, in-person convenings, and partner-amplified coalition channels. LNS operates exclusively within the United States.

Name

Labor Network for Sustainability

Legal name

Labor Network for Sustainability

Website

https://labor4sustainability.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Labor Network for Sustainability is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 that bridges the U.S. labor movement and climate/environmental justice communities through organizing programs (Public Sector Organizing, Transportation Justice, Young Worker Project, Green New Deal from Below), educational resources, and coalitions such as California Labor for Climate Jobs and Transit Equity Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor and Climate Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

Keywords

• Labor climate organizing
• Just transition advocacy
• Union climate education
• Worker coalition building
• Environmental justice organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Takoma Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: LNS accepts charitable donations from individuals via its website (Stripe) and by check. Donors can give one-time or become monthly/annual supporters. As a 501(c)(3), all gifts are tax-deductible.
2. Organizational Memberships and Partnerships: LNS solicits organizational support from unions, local organizations, and nonprofits through tiered supporting organization ($250-$1,000/year) and partner organization ($1,000-$5,000+/year or in-kind) levels, which include recognition, event access, digital toolkits, and involvement in strategy development.
3. Foundation Grants: LNS likely receives grant funding from foundations aligned with climate and labor justice; referenced as a recipient of foundation support for initiatives such as the Just Transition Listening Project and Young Worker Project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Labor Network for Sustainability is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes, educates, and campaigns with U.S. unions, climate organizations, and frontline communities to advance a worker-centered, just transition to a sustainable economy. It delivers organizing programs (Public Sector Organizing, Transportation Justice, Green New Deal From Below, Young Worker Project, Climate-Labor Solidarity Campaigns), research and publications (Strike! commentaries, Climate Insurgency Trilogy, Just Transition Listening Project, LNS Reports & Analysis), and educational tools (Tools for Union Members, Just Transition Resources), funded by individual donations, organizational memberships, foundation grants, and sponsorships.

Product overview

Labor Network for Sustainability is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) that operates a portfolio of programs and resources rather than a unified software product. Its offerings include: organizing programs focused on public sector workers, transportation justice, and climate-labor solidarity; educational initiatives like the Young Worker Project; research and analysis through LNS Reports & Analysis; practical tools for union members; and Just Transition resources. The organization also publishes the Strike! commentary series and hosts the Three Roads Book & Music Tour. These programs work together to advance the labor-climate movement by bridging labor and environmental justice communities, with a focus on worker-led climate action and equitable transition policies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Sector Organizing Organizing program for public sector unions including educators, municipal employees, and transit workers to demand climate resilience, sustainable public infrastructure, and resist privatization and anti-union attacks. Includes the Educators Climate Action Network (ECAN) and the AFSCME Climate Caucus.
• Transportation Justice Organizing program for workers in rail, transit, trucking, and manufacturing to advance climate-friendly, worker-led transportation solutions. Includes the Transit Equity Network (TEN), Public Rail Now, and Just EV Transition campaigns.
• Green New Deal from Below Program amplifying worker- and community-led climate solutions to ensure the clean energy transition prioritizes frontline and marginalized communities. Includes local climate initiatives, a national GNDB database, and the California Labor for Climate Jobs coalition.
• Young Worker Project Program building the next generation of labor-climate organizers through education, skill-building workshops, and strategic campaign support. Includes a political education curriculum, organizing incubator, and the Young Worker Listening Project. The inaugural 2022 Young Worker Convergence on Climate drew nearly 100 participants from 23 states plus DC and Canada.
• Climate-Labor Solidarity Campaigns Program bridging historical divides between labor and climate movements through sustained alliances that integrate climate justice into union strategies. Includes the UAW Solidarity Campaign and the APWU Solidarity Initiative.
• LNS Reports & Analysis

Quantifiable outcome

• LNS supported organizing that brought nearly 100 young workers from 23 states plus DC and Canada together at the 2022 Young Worker Convergence on Climate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jobs With JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS actively participates in Jobs With Justice (JwJ) conferences and campaigns. At the 2025 JwJ conference in Atlanta, LNS organized alongside Union of Southern Service Workers members and community allies in a march and rally for worker dignity, wages, and safety.
• Transit Equity Network (TEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS co-leads the Transit Equity Network, which brings together labor and transit rider allies to expand public transit investment and ensure equitable transit access. TEN operates through a coalition model with its own social media presence (Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, Bluesky).
• Public Rail NowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS partners with Public Rail Now to mobilize rail workers and communities for electrified, publicly-owned rail systems, integrating labor standards and worker leadership into transit campaigns.
• BlueGreen AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS collaborates with the BlueGreen Alliance, a coalition of labor unions and environmental organizations working to solve the climate crisis and create green jobs. Lisa Hoyos, LNS Board member, has past leadership in both AFL-CIO/SEIU and BlueGreen Alliance.
• EarthworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJennifer Krill, Executive Director of Earthworks, serves as Chair of LNS's Board of Directors. Earthworks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the impacts of mining and fossil fuel extraction.
• Taproot EarthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColette Pichon Battle, Co-Founder of Taproot Earth, serves on the LNS Board. Taproot Earth is a climate justice organization centering Black, Indigenous, and frontline communities. LNS co-hosted a national webinar with Taproot Earth and HTC during NYC Climate Week.
• Climate Justice AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnanda Lee Tan, former Campaigns Director of Climate Justice Alliance and founding strategist with BEA4Impact, serves as Secretary on LNS's Board. Climate Justice Alliance organizes frontline communities for a just transition.
• Center for Story Based StrategyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Young Worker Listening Project was facilitated in collaboration with the Center for Story Based Strategy, which provided methodology for collecting and analyzing interviews with young workers on climate-labor intersections.
• Kentuckians for the CommonwealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLisa Abbott, Deputy Organizing Director for Just Transition at Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, served on the Just Transition Listening Project Organizing Committee, representing community voice in the research.
• Climate Justice Alliance (Just Transition Organizers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonica Atkins, Southeast Regional Just Transition Organizer at Climate Justice Alliance, served on the Just Transition Listening Project Organizing Committee, contributing environmental justice and frontline community perspectives.
• Occidental College (Urban and Environmental Policy Department)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJ. Mijin Cha, Assistant Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy at Occidental College, co-authored the Just Transition Listening Project report and contributed academic rigor and policy expertise to the research.
• Institute for Policy StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBasav Sen, Project Director for Climate Policy at the Institute for Policy Studies, served on the Just Transition Listening Project Organizing Committee, contributing policy analysis on climate and economic transition.
• Rutgers School of Management and Labor RelationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTodd Vachon, Postdoctoral Associate at Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, co-authored the Just Transition Listening Project report, contributing labor relations and movement-building expertise.
• Green Workers AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS collaborates with the Green Workers Alliance, an organization of 1,800 renewable energy workers across the country mobilizing to win more and better jobs in the sector. GWA and LNS share alignment on worker-centered clean energy transition.
• Just Transition AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS co-hosted a national webinar with Just Transition Alliance and other partners (Taproot Earth, Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, U.S. Climate Action Network) during NYC Climate Week, demonstrating cross-movement collaboration.
• Familias Unidas por la JusticiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdgar Franks, Washington State Campaign and Political Director for Familias Unidas por la Justicia (a farmworker organizing group), serves on the LNS Board, bringing food sovereignty, participatory democracy, and Just Transition perspectives to the organization.
• NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS's July-August 2026 newsletter (Edition #105) featured Abré Connor, Director of the Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP, highlighting ongoing collaboration between labor and civil rights organizations on environmental justice.
• California Labor for Climate Jobs (CLCJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNS co-leads California Labor for Climate Jobs, a statewide coalition advocating strong labor standards, worker protections, and equitable climate policies across California. This is a flagship initiative of the Green New Deal from Below program.
• Flint RisingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNayyirah Shariff, Director of Flint Rising and co-founder of the Flint Democracy Defense League, serves as Treasurer on LNS's Board, contributing water justice, democracy, and racial equity expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jobs With Justice: A national network of local coalitions working to build economic justice and worker power. Directly comparable because of shared labor-movement convening model, coalition architecture, and frequent co-campaign activity with LNS.
• Earthworks: A nonprofit dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the impacts of mining and fossil fuel extraction. Directly comparable because of deep board overlap (Earthworks' ED chairs LNS's board) and shared corporate-accountability advocacy.
• BlueGreen Alliance: A national coalition of labor unions and environmental organizations working on the climate crisis and good jobs. Most directly comparable to LNS because it occupies the same labor-climate bridge-building role with materially larger staff and budget.
• Climate Justice Alliance: A national member organization of frontline communities organizing for a just transition. Directly comparable because of shared just-transition framing, overlapping board membership with LNS, and overlapping partner network.
• Taproot Earth: A climate justice organization centering Black, Indigenous, and frontline communities in the Gulf South and beyond. Directly comparable because of shared board overlap and co-hosted climate-week programming with LNS.
• Movement Generation: An organization that builds climate justice movement infrastructure linking ecological sustainability and social justice. Directly comparable because of shared just-transition analysis and grassroots labor-climate organizing focus.

Broad incumbents

• 350.org: A large international climate movement organization building a grassroots network to address the climate crisis. A broad incumbent in climate advocacy with overlapping movement-building methodology but materially larger scale and broader scope than LNS.
• AFL-CIO: The largest U.S. labor federation, founded the lineage LNS emerged from. Comparable because multiple state federation presidents sit on LNS's board, but operates at vastly larger scale as the umbrella body LNS influences rather than competes with.
• Green For All: An initiative focused on building an inclusive green economy. Comparable as a labor-and-environmental-just-transition organization, but operates as part of a broader green-economy portfolio rather than a niche labor-climate bridge.
• Sierra Club: One of the largest and oldest U.S. environmental organizations, with growing climate-and-jobs programming. A broad incumbent whose Climate Parents project has board overlap with LNS, but whose scope and resources dwarf LNS's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LN4S
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOZT8zMfp56GxAJSxnyoxaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/labor4sustainability
• Instagraminstagram.com/labor4sustainability
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/labor-network-for-sustainability

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Labor Network for Sustainability