Young people in the UK who have been striking for the climate are calling on adults to join them on Friday 20 September as part of a massive global day of action.
There's a guide here for adults wanting to get involved.
What can I do as a trade union member?
Take a motion to your union branch / local Trades Council to support the strikes (template motion). Invite a school striker to your meeting if you can.
The shocking scenes of the Amazon rain forest on fire could not have shown more dramatically the urgency of the climate crisis and the need to act now.
Many trade unionists have already organised to ensure that they will stand alongside students on the 20th September in response to the call by Greta Thunberg and the global youth climate strike movement to join them in a global climate strike. The 20th September and the week of action following it, here and around the world, will see the biggest mobilisation of working class people, organised through their unions, demanding the action we need to tackle the climate crisis.
The meeting will hear about the Trade Union actions already planned and will look at how in the last two weeks and following conference votes Trade Unionists can deliver maximum solidarity to stand alongside students to join the global climate strike on 20th September.
This can only be the beginning. In the context of the climate crisis and the need to move to zero-carbon, the meeting will examine the need for much greater ambition from the government, across society and the Trade Union movement. For the Trade Union movement that ambition could be focused on a Green New Deal offering a Just Transition to a safer planet and a more equal and fairer society.
Join the discussion to put Trade Unions at the forefront of a growing climate movement and in demanding the most progressive policies to tackle the climate crisis. We have a world to win but also one that we are in danger of losing.
With only two weeks to go we invite trade unionists, workers and activists across London to a meeting, hosted by Camden Unison, to share what plans are already in place to join students for a climate strike on 20th September.
We will look at how we can redouble our efforts to build more support for the climate strike including building the profile of the strike across London. We will also discuss how we can use the UCU call on the TUC for a 30 min workplace stoppage to build more momentum and support in the final two weeks.
Please join us at this meeting, to report back from your union, workplace, branch and area, Or just to be inspired about what is already happening and get ideas about what you might be able to do in your own workplace.
Monday 9th September, 6.30-8.30pm
Camden Unison, Council Chamber, Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
Nearest tube Mornington Crescent, or 10 min walk from Euston
With only two weeks to go we invite trade unionists, workers and activists across London to a meeting, hosted by Camden Unison, to share what plans are already in place to join students for a climate strike on 20th September.
We will look at how we can redouble our efforts to build more support for the climate strike including building the profile of the strike across London. We will also discuss how we can use the UCU call on the TUC for a 30 min workplace stoppage to build more momentum and support in the final two weeks.
Please join us at this meeting, to report back from your union, workplace, branch and area, Or just to be inspired about what is already happening and get ideas about what you might be able to do in your own workplace.
Monday 9th September, 6.30-8.30pm
Camden Unison, Council Chamber, Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
Nearest tube Mornington Crescent, or 10 min walk from Euston
The Climate Coalition are organising a mass lobby of MPs on Wednesday 26th June. Around 10,000 are expected to gather in Westminster, in groups with others from their constituency. It's an opportunity to talk to your MP and demonstrate that their constituents are calling for urgent action on climate change!
The ITUC Global Day of Workplace Action asks workers and their unions to start a conversation with their employer about their plans to climate-proof jobs, reduce emissions in their operations and put in place Just Transition plans where required.
You can take part whether you are a trade union member or not, whether you work for a big company or a small family business. The call out is for people to request a meeting with an appropriate person, who might be the CEO or a manager, on 26 June or as close as possible to that date.
The Campaign against Climate Change has joined tens of thousands on Tuesday 4th June to protest against Donald Trump's state visit to the UK. We marched alongside youth strikers, allies from Friends of the Earth and many more. The message was clear - Trump's policy of withdrawal from the Paris climate deal, his fossil fuel cronyism and his attempts to dismantle all US climate action are not just unacceptable but criminal. We stand with those who resist.
Theresa May’s decision to press ahead with a visit from US President Donald Trump ignored the views of millions of British people who believe racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia, war-mongering, climate change denial, attacks on human rights and policies that will deepen poverty and inequality should not be celebrated by our government.
This public meeting was a great opportunity to hear from people who are finding new ways to tell the truth and act on the climate emergency - getting their local councils to pass climate emergency declarations (and act on them!); taking direct action with Extinction Rebellion; work in trade unions; campaigning for a Green New Deal; reaching out to MPs and more. In this time of huge political uncertainty, we have an opportunity to refocus attention on the planetary crisis and social justice - what practical actions can we take right now to help that happen?
Many thanks to SOAS UCU and SOAS Unison for their support.
Angus Lees-Miller speaking on UK youth strikes
Nils Agger speaking on Extinction Rebellion
Louise Young speaking on Climate Emergency campaigns
Angus Satow speaking on a UK Green New Deal
Suzanne Jeffery speaking on climate jobs, social justice and unions
Climate change has displaced people around the world. It is a crisis which is overwhelmingly caused by richer countries and where the impacts are already being felt - disproportionately by those in the poorest countries.
In the last six years over 140 million people were forced to move because of climate and weather related disasters: droughts, harvest failures and devastating storms.
With governments failing to take action to reverse, or even stop climate change, local councils can play a key role in leading the climate emergency response - read more about the councils passing 'Climate Emergency' motions. To find out more about this groundbreaking movement and about how local councils can help lead the climate emergency, attend this conference in Lancaster on 29 March, with a wide range of workshops and speakers. If you can't get there physically there will be opportunities to participate via video conferencing.
