🗓 Date: Tuesday, 27 September 2022
⏳ Time: 11:00
📍Location: Lower Galleria Room 1, ACC Liverpool, Kings Dock Street, Liverpool, England, L3 4FP
SME4Labour and Community Union workshop: Nothing About Us Without Us: Why Working People Must Be At The Heart Of Our Climate Plan
We were joined for this discussion by Maya Ilani from Community, Chris Williamson from Community, Laurence Turner from the GM, BAnna Turley, Former Labour MP for Redcar and Kate Bell from the TUC.
The discussion revolved around how a green transition can occur, and what the impact will be on working people. The Labour Party has often spoken of a green new deal, green jobs and a green transition etc, but has often failed to disclose what those would actually mean in practise for those who work in affected industries. This vagueness can lead to people interpreting what they want from the policies.
Maya strongly argued that conversations around green transition must involve people working in those industries ‘nothing about us without us’. If Labour is to lead the country in to transitioning away from fossil fuels to prevent climate change then it must do so by informing the people whose livelihoods are affected. Kate reiterated this, without informed consent we cannot call our policies progressive.
Anna praised the steel industry in the UK and noted that it is a great asset for the UK in international trade negotiations. A Labour Government must support our transition to green Steel to allow communities like Redcar to continue to have jobs at the heart of their communities.
Lawrence drew attention to the International Labour Associations blueprints for a Green transition. The Labour Party must ensure that jobs and opportunities are protected in this transition, a failure to reassure people that this will happen will cause a backlash against green issues that affects the Labour Party and the country’s ability to combat climate change.
The meeting agreed that the Labour Party & Movement must ensure that a Green Transition is a just transition that puts workers rights at the heart of the new settlement.
Speakers:
