TUC Congress 2018 Greener Jobs Alliance Briefing:

TUC Congress 2018 Greener Jobs Alliance Briefing: 

Full spectrum’ of unions support motions on climate change, energy and a Just Transition Delegates to the TUC’s 150th annual Congress will debate six motions https://bit.ly/2wHjYWN setting out new directions for TUC policy on climate change, energy and a Just Transition.

The Greener Jobs Alliance welcome the GMB’s proposal for a TUC-led conference in their motion, Just transition and energy workers’ voice. But we have a duty to express our concern that this motion limits input on TUC policy from other unions, making ‘energy unions’ views ‘paramount’. Although the proposed conference on Just Transition is long overdue, when it comes to fighting climate change, every union should have a voice: in the fire and rescue services, food manufacturer, rail transport, public services, the NHS. No less than nine unions have motions or amendments on climate change and a just transition at TUC 2018.

Motions in brief

01: Industrial strategy: an economy for the many Unite’s motion calls on the TUC to campaign for an industrial strategy that includes: • Strengthening collective bargaining in the workplace and across industrial sectors. • Investment in UK manufacturing, electric vehicles, construction and infrastructure. • Support for high-quality apprenticeships. ASLEF’s amendment links industrial policy to a just transition: ‘Support for investment and strategic planning to ensure UK industry is at the forefront of a just transition to a low-carbon economy and the fight against climate change, including by means of an integrated transport strategy.’

07 Just transition and energy workers’ voice In support of gas industry members, the GMB motion argues that ‘lower carbon gas’ is an essential for the UK’s secure, affordable and lower carbon energy supply. Backed by Prospect, the motion, ‘congratulates GMB, Prospect, UNISON and Unite for calling a just transition conference to ask members employed in energy precisely what they, their communities and industries want and need from an energy sector of the future…The views of the workers affected, as expressed through these trade unions, should be paramount to development of all TUC policies on energy, industrial strategy and climate change.’