Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 323 – July – August 2021
The Greener Jobs Alliance was launched to promote skills training and job creation to meet the needs of Britain’s rapidly growing low carbon sectors and to green the whole economy. The transition to a low carbon and resource efficient economy can drive sustainable economic recovery and job creation in every part of the country as well as making existing jobs more secure. But this requires a more strategic national and local approach to deliver the workforce skills needed and to stimulate demand for clean energy and energy efficiency services.
The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises at a national and local level to build the broadest possible support for the policies, investment, partnerships and commitments needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.
The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises with training bodies, colleges, universities, employers, local and national government, trade unions, housing associations, campaign and community groups – to build the policies, investment and partnerships needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.
The GJA runs a number of ‘free’ courses on the environment for Trade Union Reps in different parts of the UK which have been attended by a number of CWU Reps. See details below.
The GJA came into existence as a result of funding from Battersea and Wandsworth TUC.
The founder GJA Secretary and Newsletter editor was Graham Petersen who is well known to the CWU and has a long standing working relationship with the Union. He is a former TUC Tutor and Course Designer who created Safety Reps training courses and the successful TUC Occupational Health & Safety Diploma Course. He was the head of the Trade Union Studies Centre at South Thames College before retirement from the post and has been a visitor and guest speaker at CWU events and meetings. After 30 Editions, Graham stood down at the GJA AGM on 2 February and has handed over to Paul Atkin as newsletter editor and Tahir Latif as GJA Secretary. Graham remains a GJA Steering Group member and is now working part time for the Wales TUC having recently written a publication for them “Greener workplaces for a just transition – a Wales TUC toolkit for trade unionists”.
See attached copy of the GJA Newsletter No.33 for July-Aug 2021.
Contents GJA Newsletter July/August 2021 & Summary:
- Editorial: Mind The Gap
The popularity of a Green New Deal and Just Transition is driven by the prospect of millions of new jobs: their necessity by the terrifying reality of climate change impacts that are becoming more intense with every day that passes.
- Climate Proof Your Workplace
On September 22, the ITUC is holding the biggest global conversation about our future: the Global Day of Action to Climate and Employment Proof our Work. Sign up to join the conversation in 2021.
- Climate Change Committee Report
UK Government failures highlighted in latest CCC Report. The latest report from the All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Committee – on how prepared the UK is to combat anticipated climate change impacts – delivers a withering assessment of the last 5 years of Conservative Government. The report warns ‘the UK will face significant further changes in climate to 2050 and beyond, even if the world is on a Paris-aligned emissions trajectory. By 2050 the heatwave summer of 2018 will be a typical summer, summer rainfall could fall by as much as 24% and winter rainfall increase by as much as 16%, changes that will impact our well-being, the natural environment, and the economy’.
- Green Jobs For Scotland – Feast Or Famine?
The Green Jobs Report commissioned by the STUC is the sort of document that should be being produced by Government as a Green paper. It considers what changes are needed if Scotland is to meet its decarbonisation needs, what job opportunities are associated with this, and what policies need to be put in place to ensure that these jobs provide Fair Work and enable effective voice demonstrated by high levels of union recognition and influence.
- Scotland – Just Transition Tour
Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Platform took a 13m wind turbine blade to Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee to ask oil workers, local politicians and the general public to sign the blade calling for a Just Transition for oil workers. It went exactly as hoped, giving us a really unique opportunity to speak to oil workers, hear their stories, explain exactly what a just transition is and ask what workers and communities want it to look like.
- COP 26 Actions
As the days count down to the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, activity is ramping across the COP26 coalition. Plans are now in place for simultaneous demonstrations in Glasgow and London on 6th November. These will be supported with as many other decentralised protests it’s possible to organise and meetings are being organised across the country to build for the biggest UK wide action on climate change yet. Trade unions are critical to getting members out to their nearest demo, and the COP26 coalition trade union caucus will be focussing its final four online meetings on this.
- Education International Calls For Global Climate Education
Education International, which represents 32.5 million educators in 178 countries has called for Universal Climate Change Education and called on all its members to get involved.
- Building Capacity TUC Education
Climate action in the workplace is a timely new 15-minute online learning module and is a guide to what you need to do to organise members and begin a dialogue with management. It fits very well with the ITUCs Climate and Employment Proof Our Workplace (CEPOW) initiative.
- Statistics Of The Month
44% of the UK population think the country’s emissions have any impact on climate change. 68% of UK school students who would like to learn more about it.
- Building The Greener Jobs Alliance
GJA website is about to undergo a much needed overhaul.
Online Courses From Greener Jobs Alliance
These can be done online personally at any time or collectively in meetings.
A Trade Union Guide To Just Transition
- The meaning and history of the term just transition
- Why it should be a priority issue
- UK and international policies and case studies
- Ideas for developing an action plan
Climate Change Awareness
Module 1: Climate Change Explained Module
Module 2: International Responses Module
Module 3: Trade Union Responses Module
Module 4: Getting Involved.
Air Quality – A Trade Union Issue
Module 1: Causes & Health Impacts of Air Pollution
Module 2: The Law and Government Policy
Module 3: Trade Union Responses & Campaigns.
Further details at:- www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk
Attachment: GJA-Newsletter-33-July-Aug 2021
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
LTB 345/21 – Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 323 – July – August 2021
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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