11 February 2022
Green Recovery and a Just Transition
By Shavanah Taj, General Secretary, Wales TUC
Building the recovery from the pandemic represents a once in a generation challenge. But it is also an opportunity to take the urgent action needed to build a greener and fairer economy in Wales. One that protects jobs, our health and the planet. Workers must have a central voice in planning the recovery and the transition to a net-zero economy to ensure this happens.
Wales TUC is calling for:
• a clear and funded pathway to net-zero that maximises the opportunities to protect and create jobs in Wales
• the workers most affected by the move to a net-zero economy to be given a central voice in planning the transition
• all new jobs in the green economy to offer ‘fair work’ with good pay, skills, pensions, health and safety and trade union recognition
• workplace ‘transition agreements’ to be agreed between employers and unions to ensure a fair transition. Also support for union-led sustainability initiatives in every workplace
• increased funding for learning and skills to prepare workers for the transition and provide a clear pathway to new jobs
At our Congress in May 2021 we passed a resolution to take action. You can read the full text below
Green recovery and just transition
Wales TUC Congress resolution, May 2021
The General Council recognises that the climate and nature emergency is one of the gravest threats we face. We welcome the Welsh Government’s ambitious new climate targets to reach net-zero by 2050, with decisive action in the next decade to reduce emissions by around two-thirds.
We are committed to working in social partnership to build a greener, fairer and more equitable economy that protects jobs, our health and the planet. With proper planning and funding, tackling the climate and nature emergency will not mean fewer jobs but could actually increase the number of good quality jobs offering fair work.
The TUC has called on the UK government to develop a properly funded green industrial strategy that matches its rhetoric on climate ambition. The General Council supports these calls, and believes that funding must be urgently increased at a UK level so that Wales can also receive its fair share.
As trade unions, we are committed to organising and mobilising to protect our planet for future generations and to standing up for fairness for workers, especially during times of change. In our report, A green recovery and a just transition we set out a five-point plan to put in place the foundations to ensure that the transition to a net-zero economy in Wales is truly just.
But we know that a just transition will not happen by itself, and time is running out. The General Council reaffirms the call for a just transition as set out in the Wales TUC’s report, and calls upon the Welsh Government to:
- Use all available levers to protect and involve those whose jobs are affected and maximise opportunities to create good new jobs offering fair work in the process of the transition.
- Include a clear definition of and commitment to a ‘just transition’ (which reflects trade union definitions and references the ILO guidelines and relevant international agreements) in its Low Carbon Delivery Plan 2.
- Continue to work closely with the Wales TUC and other social partners to ensure just transition discussions are integrated into social partnership structures and the proposed Social Partnership Duty to support social dialogue between workers, employers, and their representatives, and governments, as the foundation for the development of effective, locally-led, just transition plans at all levels
- Support trade unions to take a stronger leadership role in shaping a rapid and just transition at workplace level through support for and recognition of the green rep role in the devolved public sector and other workplaces where the Welsh Government has influence (eg by incentivising the provision of facility time)
- Commit to carrying out a comprehensive review of green skills and workforce planning to ensure an effective, coordinated national strategy. This should consider qualifications and pathways with an analysis of any gaps and opportunities to provide job matching services.
- Establishing a dedicated skills for transition fund accessible to all alongside additional support pathways for workers in the most impacted high-carbon industries (eg oil and gas workers), which can be tailored to individual workers’ needs, based on successful models of schemes from elsewhere (such as Germany).
- Integrate just transition into Wales’ Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) reporting: Welsh Government should include just transition measures as part of its reporting on achieving its targets under the Paris Agreement. Measures could include:
- Evidence of consultation on just transition issues in social partnership discussions and appropriate levels of TU representation on all WG decarbonisation bodies
- Numbers of new green jobs alongside measures of job quality which should include Fair Work standards, inc. diversity and inclusion and levels of union coverage. Measures should also monitor numbers of young people/new entrants and those transferring from different sectors.
- Evidence of engagement with unions by employers eg collective bargaining on carbon reduction/transition plans at workplace or sectoral level (such as jointly agreed transition plans or joint environment agreements), support for and recognition of the green rep role (eg facility time agreements) and consultation with unions on workforce planning, identifying opportunities for new green jobs and green skills training
- Numbers of learners taking up ‘green skills’ training, including diversity and inclusion measures and outcomes post training.
The General Council calls on Congress to endorse the asks made of Welsh Government set out above, and to calls on the Wales TUC to:
- work closely with the ITUC, TUC, affiliated unions, environmental and community groups and other third sector organisations in the run up to CoP to promote ‘climate ambition with just transition’ and mobilise support – for example, by becoming a partner of the Climate Cymru campaign.
- raise the profile of trade unions’ just transition campaigns among other organisations – identify areas of common interest and work to increase the inclusion of just transition principles within wider environmental campaigns
- work with unions and other organisations to campaign on job creation, job quality and campaign for recognition of the green rep role, including campaigns targeted at employers and employer bodies
- continue to engage and build capacity of trade unions and trade union green reps through ongoing provision of training, resources, workshops and networks
- work with colleagues in the TUC and affiliated unions to campaign for the increased funding and policy changes from UK government needed for Wales to achieve its climate targets.