'Green' Plans Must Include Worker Protection

U.S. and Canadian labour movement united in concern.

A meeting of the Western Climate Initiative, a coalition of governments, labour and environmentalists from western states and provinces, was held recently. Discussions have centred around a 'Cap and Trade' system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Most governments, labour groups and environmentalists agree with Cap and Trade. At the most recent meeting this was not a matter of contention.

The issue that caused a rift between governments and a united labour/environmentalist caucus was governments' failure to address the protection of workers who will be negatively affected in the process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There is no doubt that there is the potential for workers to be hurt. Protections such as investment in green jobs and transitional support for displaced workers, along with a job creation strategy to ensure that jobs are created where others have been lost, must form part of any agreements between governments.

A letter outlining these concerns has been sent the Western Climate Initiative partners outlining the concerns of the labour movement in both the United States and Canada surrounding the lack of protection for workers when "green" policies are being discussed. The letter was signed by MFL President Darlene Dziewit, along with the presidents of the British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario Federations of Labour, and the presidents of the AFL-CIO organizations in Oregon and California.

As Dziewit put it, "It is the right thing to do."

A copy of the letter that was sent can be viewed here in PDF format (51kb).