Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | May 30, 2022 | wbjournal.com Fueled by Roe leak, Planned Parenthood workers in Worcester, Marlborough to unionize Workers at the Planned Parenthood facilities in Worcester and Marlborough, along with workers at two other sites across the state, announced May 18 their intention to unionize and join 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East, part of the Service Employees International Union. Cara Callahan, a patient navigator at Planned Parenthood's Springfield location, said in a press release the unionization effort was driven in part by the recent leak of a Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, criminalizing abortion in many parts of the country and seeing an influx of patients to Mass., where abortion would remain legal if the ruling is overturned. "As healthcare access is restricted across the country, Massachusetts will see an influx of patients from other states, and we need to be ready," said Callahan. "To get ready, those of us who are on the ground doing the work, need to be supported on every level - to be seen and heard." Workers at the facilities included in the unionization are healthcare assistants, registered nurses, patient navigators, educators, telehealth workers, and nurse-midwives. e effort includes around 200 workers in total from Planned Parenthood locations in Boston, Worcester, Marlborough, and Springfield. Tim Foley, vice president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the executive vice president of 1199SEIU, said he welcomed the addition of Planned Parenthood workers. Closing brewery "The beer market has changed a great deal since we started out." B R I E FS C E N T R A L M AS S I N B R I E F V E R BAT I M Marijuana reform "We continue to remove barriers to entry into this unique industry for those communities who are so disproportionately harmed and impacted by the prohibition of marijuana." State Rep. Dan Donahue (D-Worcester), on the passage of new legislation designed to make the cannabis industry more accessible and diverse Executive PhD "Social justice and diversity continue to emerge as critical factors in a company's vision." Debora Jackson, dean of The Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, on a new PhD program designed for senior business leaders to build skills in social justice, diversity, and equity Father William Dingwall, a Trappist monk at St. Joseph's Abbey, on the decision to close the Spencer Trappist Brewery, the only Trappist brewery in the U.S., in the face of increased craft brewery competition Auburn solar company abruptly closes, amid legal trouble & unfinished projects BY KATHERINE HAMILTON WBJ Staff Writer A uburn-based solar company Solar Wolf Energy announced abruptly in a Facebook post on May 11 it will close its operations, leaving more than 50 Yarmouth residents without fully installed solar panel systems, despite having paid. Solar Wolf was selected in 2019 as a partner in the Solarize Mass Program, a state-sponsored operation by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. e Town of Yarmouth received grant funding to promote the use of solar energy among residents, for which Solar Wolf was selected, according to a May 12 press release from the Town. Since then, the Auburn company signed numerous contracts and, although some systems were completed, still has more than 50 unfinished contracts where installation is not complete. "We don't exactly know what the situation is, but they signed contracts with individual people," Town Administrator Robert Whritenour said on May 13. "is represents people's life savings. It is a very difficult situation." Solar Wolf has been unresponsive to numerous phone calls from WBJ, and the reason for the closure is unclear from the company's public communications. In a Facebook post at 2 a.m. on May 13, the company said it would contact customers via email on May 20. "We will be contacting you and planning for you to have funds returned, materials delivered/returned and or a combination depending on status," the post said. "We will also be aligning those in transition with connections, inspections, and avenues to possibly have their systems completed." On May 6, the solar company posted a 13-paragraph Facebook post alleging a broken business agreement between Solar Wolf and SunPower, a California- based solar company who was selling solar panels to Solar Wolf, according to the post. Solar Wolf said, aer a series of disagreements, it received official notice that SunPower was severing all ties with the Auburn company. Five days later, Solar Wolf announced its closure, citing the previous post about SunPower: "It is with broken hearts that we must announce that SWE will have to close. As we previously stated in a PR we have had a rather abrupt disruption from our exclusive distribution partner." SunPower could not be reached for comment. Solar Wolf was sued three times in 2021 for nearly $900,000 for alleged failure to pay for marketing services and commercial leases. e company was founded by Ted Strzelecki, who was the subject of many of the allegations made last year, and is also the founder and chair of Roof Wolf and Aqua Wolf Plumbing. e case is currently under investigation by state authorities, including the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, according to the Town of Yarmouth's press release. Solar Wolf Energy in Auburn has closed after a variety of legal trou- bles, saying the loss of its relationship with its supplier impeded its ability to fill orders. W PHOTO | COURTESY OF SOLAR WOLF ENERGY

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