Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 45 – February 2023:
Introduction
The Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) came into existence as a result of funding from Battersea and Wandsworth TUC. The GJA 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.
GJA ‘Free’ Courses:
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 with details published in the newsletter.
The GJA now offer three ‘on-line’ courses as follows:
1. Climate Change Awareness
This short introductory course is aimed at trade unionists and anyone wishing to develop their understanding of the issues around climate change. The course is divided into 4 modules. The modules contain background information, short videos, graphs and illustrations.
- Module 1: Climate Change Explained
- Module 2: International Responses
- Module 3: Trade Union Responses
- Module 4: Getting Involved
At the end of each section, there are references and links to additional materials if you want to go further. There are no formal tests and you can work through the materials at your own pace but there are optional quizzes to check your understanding at the end of modules 1, 2 and 3.
2. A Trade Union Guide to Just Transition
Social justice must be at the heart of the development of a net-zero carbon economy. The course covers:
- 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
It is aimed at trade unionists and anyone wishing to improve their understanding of why just transition should be central to climate change policy.
3. Air Quality – a trade union issue
The following issues will be explored in this free online course. It is made up of 3 modules,
- Module 1: The Causes and Health Impacts of Air Pollution
- Module 2: The Law and Government Policy
- Module 3: Trade Union Responses and Campaigns
Link to GJA on-line Courses:https://greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/courses/
GJA Founder Graham Petersen:
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 and 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’ which was circulated by the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department.
Paul Atkin Editorial GJA Newsletter Issue 45 – ‘Summer is Coming’
In this edition Editor Paul Atkin points out that it’s going to be a long, hot Summer in more ways than one with the last few years experiencing exceptionally hot weather during a La Nina period, when the Earth’s temperature is supposed to be lower than average. Paul points out that this Spring we will move into an El Nino upswing, with ferocious heat spikes demonstrating the effects of global warming and warning that, unless we act faster and more profoundly, the 1.5C limit will slip beyond our grasp. Three out of every four people say that they want faster action and transition to save our futures! Paul refers to the current Trade Union campaigns across the movement with the wave of strikes in all industries, driven by the cost of living crisis, rampant inflation, driven by the increased costs of fossil fuel energy, for heating, cooking and transport; with knock on effects on food and everything else, so the TU movement is putting forward solutions for the whole of society as well as defending our members. With the climate crisis so severe, there is no prospect of a return to any kind of previous “normal”. The wavering government recognises that in all the wrong ways; and is moving to try to break union strength and capacity for an effective fight back and strike action, criminalising protests and suppressing opposition and votes – the sort of measures that pre-war Romanian playwright Ion Ionescu described as “the rhinocerisation of the state”. All of which we have to resist with the new solidarity being forged, new connections and networks built; and Paul concludes that the government should be worried!
He concludes that with the prospect of a change of government by 2024 we need to nail down the policies we need in the plans and campaigning of opposition parties.
Contents GJA Newsletter 45
- Editorial
- Coming up
- GJA AGM
- Big economic returns for modest investment
- EAC Recommends Faster Transition
- Joint Education Union Heatwave Protocol
- Government disappoints again – and again it WILL cost lives
- Campaign for Ella’s Law
- London Labour Policy on Housing Retrofit
- Debate: Increased military spending risks people and planet
- Obituary: Carla Lipsig Mummé
- Universities banning Fossil Fuel Companies from Careers Services
- TUC Climate Objectives
- Newsflash: people who like Corporate Jets discovered
- Courses and Workshops
- Green Bites
What is a just transition?
A just transition seeks to ensure that the substantial benefits of a green economy transition are shared widely, while also supporting those who stand to lose economically – be they countries, regions, industries, communities, workers or consumers.
A rapid increase in the speed and scale of actions required to reduce the risks of climate change will create new economic opportunities.
Whilst a just transition is mainly based on environmental considerations, it is also shaped by other structural changes affecting labour markets, such as globalisation, labour-saving technologies and the shift to services.
A just transition is an integral part of many of the global commitments adopted by countries. The Paris Agreement acknowledges “the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities” and highlights the importance of workers in responding to climate change.
Furthermore, the just transition concept links to 14 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, explicitly drawing together SDGs 12 – climate action, 10 – reduced inequalities, 8 – decent work and economic growth, and 7 – affordable and clean energy.
Many countries have recognised the challenge that this transformation entails and are taking measures to protect those that are most vulnerable and affected by the changes, including across the EBRD regions.
- The European Union’s Just Transition Mechanism is integral to the EU’s Green Deal, targeted at ensuring “a fair transition to a climate-neutral economy, leaving no one behind” and aims to mobilise at least €150 billion over the period 2021-2027;
- The Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia Declaration signed by 50 countries at COP24, which states that: “a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs are crucial to ensure an effective and inclusive transition”;
- Climate Action for Jobs Initiative, co-led by the International Labour Organisation, Spain and Peru, with 46 countries committing to develop “national plans for a just transition and create decent green jobs”.
- The UNFCCC Gender Action plan, whereby parties to the UNFCCC have recognized the importance of involving women and men equally in the development and implementation of national climate policies that are gender-responsive.
GJA Annual General Meeting
This GJA AGM will take place on Tuesday 14 March 2023, 11.00-13.00
Agenda
Guest Speakers
- Niall Toru (Friends of the Earth) – National Climate Service
- Hannah David (PCS) – Green Bargaining Officer
- Hannah Markova (TUC) –
- Q&A session
- Debate
- Plan of Action 2023
This is a Hybrid Meeting.
Attending in person UCU HQ, Carlow St, Camden, Town London NW1 7LH
Register for attendance by e-mailing tahirlatif51@icloud.com.
GJA Newsletter Snippets – More in the Newsletter:
- Client Earth Legal Action
Thanks to legal action by FOE and Client Earth, by the end of March the government has to update its Climate Action Plan so that its actions are in line with its targets.
- Electric Vehicle Battery Production – UK being left behind
The US is providing companies with a $600 million grant for new EV battery factories. The EU is planning to do likewise. China is presently producing 77% of the world’s EV batteries. In the UK as the Tory government flounders, without significant state investment the prospect for domestic UK battery manufacture looks bleak, with a potential negative knock on effect to the entire car industry.
- ITUC report
A new ITUC study shows that stepping up public investments can have significant positive impacts on employment and overall economic growth in emerging economies. Globally, trade unions are calling for the creation of 575 million jobs and the formalisation of at least one billion informal jobs by 2030, to enable delivery of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda commitment for full employment and decent work under Sustainable Development Goal 8.
Quote of the Month:
“Something is fundamentally wrong with our economic and financial system,”
Antonio Gutierrez Secretary General United Nations
Attachment:
- See attached copy of the GJA Newsletter No.45 for February 2023.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
LTB 048/23 – Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 45 – February 2023
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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