THE LABOUR MOVEMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE: DEBATES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Internationally, labour unions have been recognised as critical players in implementing climate change policy since the first UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio in 1992. Just as governments have a range of responses to the crisis, so do unions differ among nation-states and regional bodies, as well as by economic sector. This talk is intended to foster dialogue about labour’s leadership by comparing key positions and practices of UK unions, labour affiliated environmental organisations and parties, with their US and European counterparts, and perspectives from the Global South. Areas of discussion include support for fossil fuel based v renewable energy employment, research, education and advocacy around the organisation of work in a low carbon economy, a just transition for affected workers, control of energy resources, and the engagement of members in these debates.
Vivian Price is a Professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills in Interdisciplinary Studies and coordinates Labour Studies. She is active in community and labour issues focusing on social justice unionism and the struggle against environmental racism. Price is a filmmaker whose award winning work includes Hammering It Out (2000), Transnational Tradeswomen (2006) (dis. Women Make Movies), Harvest of Loneliness (2010) (dis.Film and Media), and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on gender, labour, visuality and pedagogy. She is a Spring 2018 Fulbright Scholar at the University of Liverpool teaching a class about and researching labour and climate change.
IISH Seminar
This lecture is part of the monthly IISH Seminar series. In principle, seminars take place every first Tuesday of the month. The seminar is open to the public, but with regard to accommodation, we would like you to register with Jacqueline Rutte, jacqueline.rutte@bb.huc.knaw.nl.