Climate change and Trade Unions: Sharing experiences and working towards COP 22
Representatives from three Moroccan Trade Unions UMT, l’UGTM and CDT, took part in a workshop that was jointly organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and FES in Casablanca on May 5th and 6th, 2016. The unionists discussed how to mobilize and advocate for a just transition and have endorsed a joint action plan.
“If you are not on the table, you will be on the Menu”, is a phrase that applies to Trade Unions and Climate Change negotiations. Climate Change is a real challenge for Trade Unions and it causes social and economic losses. Dealing with it will require a transformational shift in economy, which will have various impacts on workers. Thus, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, in collaboration with the ITUC, has organized a workshop entitled “Climate Change and Trade Unions: Sharing Experiences and Working towards COP 22” in Tunis, which took place from the 3rd to the 4th of September 2016. The workshop aimed to inform Trade Unions from Morocco and Tunisia about the challenges of climate crises, in order to encourage the Trade Unions to be more involved in global action against climate change, especially those organized by ITUC.
Keeping in mind that “There are no Jobs on a Dead Planet”, the workshop was concluded by a draft formulation of a position paper by the Trade Unions in Morocco and Tunisia. In this paper they stated their requests and hopes for COP22 in Marrakesh.