A ACTRAV/ITC-ILO COURSE Trade Unions Policies for Decent Work Generation for Young Workers 16 to 27 February 2015 Promoting Youth Employment through Decent Work in Low-carbon World

What is the Green Jobs Initiative and what are the objectives of this initiative?

Green Jobs Initiative  Green Jobs Initiative, started in 2007, is a joint initiative by: International Labour Organisation (ILO) United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) International Employers’ Organisation (IOE) – came on-board in 2008Objective:  Realise the potential for Green Jobs and positive labour market transition in the face of climate change  Respond to the dual challenge of: Climate change; and Decent work deficits

What does the Green Jobs Initiative brings into the Environmental Debate?

Continues…  The Green Jobs Initiative: Brings employment, labour market and social justice perspectives into the environmental and climate change discussion Fosters better understanding of how to achieve [through a balanced approach] the three pillars of sustainable development, namely: Economic growth Social progress Ecological preservation Provides a positive step towards a cleaner planet, decent work for all and sustainable development

What is Green Economy?

LOW CARBON GROWTH RESOURCE EFFICIENCY SOCIAL INCLUSIVITY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ? GREEN ECONOMY Continues…

SustainLabour’s Approach to SD

What Are Green Jobs?

Continues…  Green Jobs are jobs that help to: Protect ecosystems, biodiversity and minimize environmental degrading impacts; Reduce energy, material and water consumption through high efficiency strategies; Reduce GHG emissions and de-carbonize the economy; Minimize or altogether avoid the generation of all forms of waste and pollution; Jobs that produce so-called green products GREEN JOBS Safe & Decent Work  But does it mean GREEN JOBS are also decent jobs? – what is the place of Safe & Decent Work for workers in the concept of green jobs?

1.Does it mean all Green Jobs are Decent Jobs? 2.What is the place of Safe and Decent Work for Workers in the Concept of Green Jobs?

Green Jobs are Not Necessarily Decent Jobs  Quality of green jobs? Health hazards of green jobs? - many green jobs in recycling and reuse operations are dirty, dangerous & difficult/demeaning - Ex. the recycling industry (IT, plastics, waste industry, Ship breaking) Picture Source:

Green BUT same ‘Bad Old Management’ GREEN JOBS  Many GREEN JOBS are done in conditions that will be considered ‘indecent’:  Low pay  Inadequate or no social protection  Poor health and safety standards  Eexploitative employment relationships  Violations and/or Denial of Statutory Workers’ Rights  High levels of job and income insecurity  Increasing precarity of work arrangements and erosion of rights

Green, but not decent Examples:  Electronics recycling without adequate occupational safety  Low-wage installers of solar panels  Exploited biofuel plantation laborers Green and decent Examples:  Unionized wind and solar power jobs  Green architects  Well-paid public transit workers Neither green nor decent Examples:  Coal mining with inadequate safety  Women workers in cut flower industry  Hog slaughterhouse workers Decent, but not green Examples:  Unionized car manufacturing workers  Chemical engineers  Airline pilots Decent Work Environment Green and Decent Jobs? A Schematic Overview

Modeling Enabling Conditions Agriculture Building Cities Energy Finance Forest Manufacturing Tourism Transport Waste Water Investing 2% of global GDP into ten key sectors can kick- start a transition towards a low- carbon, resource-efficient economy. UNEP Green Economy Report

World Development Report 2013: Jobs as drivers of development It is not just the number of jobs that matter – some do more for development than others Jobs with the greatest development payoffs are those that make cities function better, connect the economy to global markets, protect the environment, foster trust and civic engagement, or reduce poverty.

Decent Work in Green Economy Implies …. Ratification, implementation of relevant ILO standards & respect of national labour laws (freedom of association, collective bargaining & social protection – social floor) Strengthening tripartitism, participation & consultation of workers & their unions: in design, implementation & evaluation of policies & programs Focus on safety, health & environment at the workplace – to protect workers, the environment & community Adoption and implementaion of an incomes policy in the country Poverty wages do not promote sustainable development Poverty wages do not promote sustainable development Capacity building of employers & workers – skills development for green economy

Decent & Green Jobs link MDG 1 (poverty reduction) and MDG 7 (protecting the environment):  So, how do we promote Green & Decent Jobs in the manufacturing sector?  ‘Greening of industry’  ‘Greening of industry’ comes not just from ‘growing more trees’ or investing in effluent treatment plants or energy efficient production processes - important as these are BUT BUT we also need to look at how an industry conducts its business?  What employment & working conditions need to be promoted for a realisation of Green and Decent Jobs?

Issues Requiring Urgent TUs’ Action in the Green and Decent Jobs Debate Flexibility Policies in the area of production and employment Working conditions - OSH issues Terms of Employment (wages and contracts of employment) –regularization of employment relations Right to FOA and CB A Just Transition

Production & Employment Practices of Industry Incompatible with Environment Protection Outsourcing & sub-contracting hazardous and polluting work Employment of casual workers, low skilled paid labourers to do hazardous and dirty work Lack of responsibility towards waste disposal (outsourcing to contractors) resulting into the pollution of air, land & water resources Why is hazardous, dirty work (ex. jobs related to industrial sanitation and maintenance, cleaning of furnaces, machinery, etc.) not considered skilled enough, requiring regular workforce and paid accordingly?

Working Conditions – OSH Issues OSH and Environment protection are the two sides of the same coin:  The right of the people to live in clean environment is accepted much readily But the right to work in clean and safe environment is often times not adequately appreciated But the right to work in clean and safe environment is often times not adequately appreciated

Right to FOA and CB Income/wage policies for green economy: poverty wages do not contribute towards sustainable development. The right to FOA & CB are enabling conditions for:  Sharing in the gains of growth  Democratic decision-making over workplace changes  Representative and inclusiveness Denial and/or violation of these fundamental rights entrench exploitation, marginalization and impoverishment of workers Denial and/or violation of these fundamental rights entrench exploitation, marginalization and impoverishment of workers

Unsustainable Approaches to Pollution Closure & shifting of industry is not always a good solution – but this policy has often been implemented by governments when pressurized by NGOs on account of industrial pollution  Industries usually shift to rural/backward areas where they continue to pollute. While industry gets incentives and support for relocation, workers are not so lucky  Relocation causes job losses and dislocation of workers lives including unionized workers Contract-casual workers get no compensation at all. Contract-casual workers get no compensation at all.

A Just Transition But Why A Just Transition?  Ensure consultations & involvement of social partners;  Ensure that employment, decent work and social inclusion are integral parts of the shift towards a greener economy  Achieve a transition that buffers the downside risks by tackling social, environmental and economic issues through an integrated approach  Ensure respect for rights at work

Continues… Closure and & relocation policy often only increase the misery of the people which in turn will lead to conditions that are not conducive for environment protection. As a solution, industries should be obliged to invest in pollution control and cleaner technologies rather than allow them to take the easier route of relocating and ultimately shift the pollution elsewhere.

Some other Issues GDP GDP growth measure – it grows even when we destroy environment, employ child labour, start a war or destroy jobs or cause industrial accidents (like Bhopal) Financialization Financialization of the economy – ‘short-termism’ of the stock markets, rewarding of destruction of productive capacity and causing job losses Development Model Development Model hazards of export-oriented growth, need for more local, human centred, rather than GDP growth-centred economic model

A Word About Some Specific Policy Measures Carbon Tax - proposal for carbon tax on households versus tendency to give tax breaks to high income people  Carbon Tax should be imposed only if 100% of the revenues are directed into investments in GHG emission reductions (renewable energy, energy efficiency and retrofit programs, public transit, as well as a green-energy tax refund to protect low-income population Subsidies - who should subsidies aimed at: Oil and Gas Industry? Small producers?

Together We Can Sustain Planet Earth

THE END QUESTIONS