ITF Thailand climate change seminar
ITF Thai affiliates came together for a climate change seminar in Bangkok last week. Between 20-22 August, 22 participants from eight transport unions looked at the impact and causes of climate change – and the role transport workers can play in the struggle for sustainable transport.
Attendees were able to discuss climate change with government representatives and to learn more about the government’s climate change and sustainable transport plan. Bangkok aims to become a low carbon city, and it was discussed that the transport sector has a tremendous role to play in achieving this.
Attendees heard first-hand stories from environmental activists, including campaigning around quality public services. Green jobs were also discussed, as were the issues of outsourced labour, migrant workers and the potential threat of rail privatisation.
Camilla Roman, International Labour Organization (ILO) coordinator for green business in Asia Pacific, made a presentation on the ILO’s position on climate change on the final day of the seminar. Workers were able to take what they’d learnt from the seminar to develop their own climate change action plans.
ITF education officer Alana Dave said: “It was brilliant to hear about the strong commitment of the group to educate their members on climate change. We hope that the government will work with unions to support Thailand’s ambition of having a low-carbon capital, and look forward to offering support to our members in drawing up their own climate change plans.”
This seminar was funded by the LO-TCO and is part of the ITF’s programme on climate change.
September 5, 2013 at 3:21 pm
This is great news for the ITF initiative in building the capacity of unions to effectively engage their governments on climate change issues. In Uganda ATGWU an ITF affiliate is currently conducting a climate change policy development consultative workshop. The participants are drawn from aviation, road and rail transport members. I will be posting the workshop outcome after the closure.
September 10, 2013 at 7:07 pm
Thanks for your comment and sharing about your upcoming workshop on Climate Change. We, ITF affiliates in Thailand, found this Climate Change Seminar was very informative and useful which helped us in the transport unions to understand clearer about the climate change and the impact on worker especially in our sector. Good luck to you workshop. (Su-angcana Tungworachet, Project Coordinator, ITF Thailand)
September 5, 2013 at 5:24 pm
Good and impressive work and very important that trade unions are spearheading a climate shift.
I refer to Naomi Klein – Why unions need to join the climate fight.
This speech by Naomi Klein on September 1, 2013 was delivered at the founding convention of UNIFOR, a new mega union created by the Canadian Autoworkers and the Canadian Energy and Paper Workers Union. She claims that it is not enough to unify the struggle against the austerity politics, there is also a need for a green labour revolution:
“It should be clear by now that I am not suggesting some half-assed token “green jobs” program. This is a green labour revolution I’m talking about. An epic vision of healing our country from the ravages of the last 30 years of neoliberalism and healing the planet in the process. Environmentalists can’t lead that kind of revolution on their own. No political party is rising to the challenge. We need you to lead.”
In solidarity
Ulf Jarnefjord
Swedish Transport Workers’ Union
Regional Health and Safety Offical