Saving the planet AND creating good union jobs

Relative to the rest of the world, products like steel, aluminum, cement and timber produced proudly by USW members in Canada emit some of the lowest levels of emission on the planet. The USW has long fought for workers to be at the centre of any plan to fight climate change.

The consequences of this year’s historically high temperatures, record-breaking wildfires and widespread droughts across Canada prove that climate change is a threat we can’t afford to ignore, but when governments act as if workers are the problem, they force families to choose between supporting carbon reductions or supporting their families.

By advocating on Parliament Hill and building on common goals with industry, environmental groups and workers with coalitions like the USW-cofounded Blue Green Canada, Steelworkers have been building the case for a worker-centred plan that includes strong manufacturing and resource sectors, all while reducing carbon emissions.

In June, after the NDP pushed for it in the supply and confidence agreement with the government, the Liberals finally tabled Sustainable Jobs legislation (Bill C-50).

In response, USW National Director Marty Warren said; “Overall, there’s a lot for workers to celebrate, but too many questions still need to be answered. We have to make sure this goes beyond a decent framework and truly results in the creation and maintenance of good, family-supporting union jobs in a sustainable economy where we protect the water we drink and the air we breathe.”

Warren said there’s still time for the bill to be improved, while it goes through the process of being passed.

The USW is working hard to ensure that amendments to this bill will entrench organized labour’s place in planning for a cleaner economy, that good industrial jobs will be maintained and workers will have access to material supports and meaningful training where necessary as we shift towards a lower-carbon economy.

This bill won’t be enough: we need rules that mandate lower-carbon industrial materials made by Steelworkers are used in public infrastructure projects. We need a full supply-chain approach with targeted sectoral and geographical investments to ensure that Canada’s mining and manufacturing sectors continue to provide good, community sustaining jobs.

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