Labor in the Climate Transition: Charting the Roadmap for 2019 and Beyond

The UC Berkeley Labor Center is hosting a conference on September 12, 2018, at the David Brower Center in downtown Berkeley, immediately prior to the start of the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.

Reason for conference:

• California and the world must take major steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our climate – but workers must be key beneficiaries also. The choice is clear: The green economy can produce good, family-supporting jobs with access for all, or it can worsen the overall economy’s yawning gap between the rich and low-wage gig workers.

Our conference goals:

• Identify and showcase the best practices in worker-friendly climate policy for 2019 and beyond – for California, other U.S. states, and international governments.
• Highlight the importance of labor unions for building sustainable broad-based coalitions that can support strong climate policies at the state, national and international level.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Art Pulaski, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, California Labor Federation
• Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
• CA Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia
• Jeff Johnson, President, Washington State Labor Council
• Hans Christian Gabrielsen, General Secretary, Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
• Plus many other union and NGO leaders from around California, the U.S. and internationally.

Event Schedule
Plenary and breakout session topics include:

• California – What is labor’s agenda for a climate strategy that protects good jobs?
• Just Transition – Best practices from U.S. and abroad for the low-carbon transition.
• Cargo – How to support workers as emissions rules and automation transform cargo transport.
• Clean electricity – How renewables and the changing grid can support good jobs.
• Climate adaptation – Preparing communities and infrastructure for impacts of climate change.
• Alliances – Success stories for creating and strengthening broad coalitions for climate action.
• Energy efficiency – Best practices for good jobs while reducing energy use in buildings/industry.
• Training – How unions use training to build market share and support a diverse workforce.
• Offshore wind – Labor is organizing this new industry in the East Coast – what about California?

Conference rate is $75 – For more information and to register, please visit: http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/beyond2019/

Event Co-Sponsors
UC Berkeley Labor Center
BlueGreen Alliance
California Labor Federation
IBEW Local 1245
International Trade Union Confederation