Our planet faces an environmental crisis of major proportions, one that could challenge our very survival. Unions around the world are striving to address this crisis, while protecting the welfare of working women and men.

Copenhagen

CUPW sent 2 delegates to COP 15 along with the Canadian delegation, which was led by the Canadian Labour Congress. Although the conference was not successful in the meeting rooms, it was in the streets as was reported in the NEB report of February 2010.  We also sent a delegation of 3 to Cochabamba in Bolivia as President Evo Morales had extended a welcome in Copenhagen.  Unions around the world are participating in many climate change conferences and activities as everyone realizes the dilemma we have put, all living things and our planet, in.

Green Economy Network

As reported in NEB reports since the fall of 2009, the environment and labour movements in Canada and Québec continue to come together.  We have formed the Green Economy Network which all involved organisations are officially launching on Earth Day of this year.  This network is made up of the Canadian Labour Congress, Polaris Institute, CUPW, Greenpeace, CUPE, Kairos, CAW, CEP, Council of Canadians, United Steel Workers, Public Service Alliance of Canada, National Union of Public and General Employees, the Machinists, the Ontario Federation of Labour, the Toronto and York District Labour Council, the Sierra Club of Canada, Pembina Institute, Columbia Institute, Climate Action Network and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.  We have a vision statement which was included in the NEB report of March 2010. I will continue to report on this network in future NEB reports.  One of the objectives of this network will be to put the environment as a priority during future elections.

Tri Agency Grant

Sister Carla Lipsig-Mummé a long time activist and York university professor was instrumental in obtaining a government grant to study the impact of climate change on employment. A book will be written and a research data base will be developed. The group working with Carla involves various Academics and Universities (York University – Canada – is the lead organization), as well as the following organizations:

• Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (British Columbia)
• Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress
• Canadian Union of Postal Workers
• Centre for Labour Studies
• Clean Air Partnership
• Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union
• Environmental Defence
• Forest Products Sector Council
• Learning for a Sustainable Future
• National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
• National Union of Professional and General Employees
• Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy/Professional Engineers
• Prism Economics and Analysis
• Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
• Toronto Training Board
• United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Local 1000A
• United Steelworkers of Canada
• UNITE-HERE Canada
• Wood Manufacturing Council

Brother Bickerton as well as Sisters Sarah Ryan and Meg Gingrich prepared the segment of the book which is being written concerning the Postal sector.  The draft version was included in the February 2010 National Executive Board report.

You can still use the National Earth Day Canada Network to find out what events are being planned locally.  For more information go to Earth Day Canada at: http://earthday.ca.