Solar power company REC has announced plans for layoffs at its central Washington location, after China imposed hefty duties on U.S.- made polysilicon. The action is seemingly retaliation for American tariffs on Chinese imported solar panels made last year. The expected layoffs are a blow to supporters of green jobs. Last year, REC provided 715 jobs in central Washington with an average annual wage of about $78,000.
See "Solar-panel dispute with China putts Moses Lake jobs at risk", Amy Martinez, The Seattle Times, August 18, 2013