CAMPAIGN
Unite adds its voice to massive UK-wide climate justice calls
Thousands of Unite members demand climate justice – and a seat at the table
Thousands and thousands of Unite members and their families will always remember November 6 as the day they added their voices in protest against the devastation of our planet.
For this was the Global Day for Climate Justice and Unite members joined the many protests in main cities across the UK, calling for a ‘green’ strategy to combat the growing dangers of climate change and promoting Unite’s environment charter.
The protests came as the UK is halfway through hosting the Climate Change Conference (CoP26) in Glasgow for world leaders – aimed at accelerating the measures needed to protect the planet from global warming.
In its charter Unite is calling for the decarbonisation of our workplaces, industries and society; the creation of a green society must mean a socially just and equal society; guarantees to protect the jobs of the current workers; and to ensure that all new jobs are good jobs – the right to decent work.
“Protesters are demanding climate justice, which means a complete ‘system’ change. We’re joining the march as trade unionists to ask for a worker-led transition from our current economy to a ‘green’ economy, shifting away from our reliance on polluting fossil fuels and towards cleaner, greener, energy sources”
Gareth Lowe, Unite regional officer
One of the many protests came from Bristol. Unite regional officer Gareth Lowe has been working with Unite’s education department to train up new ‘green workplace reps’. He told uniteEXTRA, “Protesters are demanding climate justice, which means a complete ‘system’ change. We’re joining the march [in Bristol] as trade unionists to ask for a worker-led transition from our current economy to a ‘green’ economy, shifting away from our reliance on polluting fossil fuels and towards cleaner, greener, energy sources.” “Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers’ living standards,” he added.
A WORKER-LED TRANSITION
‘Working people must not pay the price for the crisis they have not created. At every level, from workplace employers to government, Unite will use all the levers to fight and win job guarantees, protecting members’ existing jobs and ensure where workers are transitioned to new work, all new jobs created are good, unionised jobs’
Unite’s environment charter
SHARON SAYS
On CoP26
"The workers’ voice has scarcely been heard at CoP26. Yet our demand for a just transition is so important. Unite will be closely watching what follows – and we will be making sure that corporate profits are not the winners here – either at the expense of real climate change or decent jobs for workers"
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary
