Workers Increase Pressure for Climate Action As Negotiations

Brussels, 28 November 2011 (ITUC OnLine): South African mine workers, Japanese energy workers, Argentinian construction workers, and UK teachers will join more than 250 unionists from 100 countries to showcase national actions to tackle climate change and create jobs in the ‘World of Work’ pavilion at the UN Climate Change talks in Durban.

As governments prepare to embark on the latest round of negotiations for an international climate agreement, the largest gathering of workers and trade unions at a UN Climate Change conference demonstrates how workers have taken up the challenge to climate proof their jobs and communities through workplace policies and support for national and international action.

“Steelworkers, nurses, agriciultural and hospitality workers all see first-hand the impact of climate change in their communities and on their jobs.

“Workers are not sitting on the sidelines waiting for an international agreement; we are actively creating policies to enable a transition that will help people and the planet. The World of Work showcases how workers can be drivers for change,” said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, ITUC.
The international union movement is convinced that job creation and social protection strategies are at centre of building an international agreement to tackle climate change.

“Workers have taken the giant leap forward, and put differences behind them. At the international level workers have been able to come together and agree on targets for emissions reductions and propose where the money can be found. If workers from the north and south are able to agree a common position, so should governments,” said Sharan Burrow.

The World of Work Pavilion will officially open at 14:30 on Tuesday 29 November 2011 in the Civil Society ‘C17’ space at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Howard College Campus.
Over 30 events by unions, the ILO, the Blue Green Alliance and SustainLabour will take place from 29 November – 6 December including:

• South African Union, COSATU on a just transition;


• Japanese energy workers on how to tackle the challenges of a 15% energy saving after the March 2011 earthquake;


• Canadian Tar Sands and the unions response to climate, environment and jobs;


• Public services adapting to climate related disasters;


• Financing the Green Climate Fund with a Financial Transactions Tax.

Media contact Gemma Swart in Durban on +27 724 896 122
gemma.swart@ituc-csi.org

For a copy of the full programme http://www.ituc-csi.org/wow

The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 308 national affiliates.
Website: http://www.ituc-csi.org and http://www.youtube.com/ITUCCSI
For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on the following numbers: +32 2 224 020 or +32 476 62 10 18

ENDS