On September 28, 2019, more than 150 trade union representatives, activists and policy allies from more than a dozen countries came together in New York City for a one-day international conference on “The Green New Deal, Net-Zero Carbon, and the Crucial Role of Public Ownership.” The conference report is now available for download here.
The conference took place against the backdrop of the massive “Global Climate Strike” actions led by young people in numerous countries around the world, coinciding with the UN “Climate Week” of talks in New York City. In the weeks before those actions, TUED organized a “Global Web Forum” on the #Strike4Climate, and subsequently compiled a list of union statements and actions in support of the strikes.
The full conference report contains detailed accounts of the day’s contributions and discussions. Its contents can be used to stimulate debate and discussion across the international trade union movement on key pressing issues, such as:
- How to develop and advance arguments for public ownership of energy, transport, and other key sectors;
- How to build an internationalism anchored in programmatic solidarity based on “pro-public” approaches to the energy transition; and,
- How to organize and struggle for a “just transition” for workers and communities around the world that is genuinely transformative, and that can help achieve the radical change we need.
Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED) is a global, multi-sector trade union initiative to advance democratic direction and control of energy in a way that promotes solutions to the climate crisis, energy poverty, the degradation of both land and people, and responds to the attacks on workers’ rights and protections. TUED is is part of the Global Labour Institute Network.