In 2015, the Murphy Institute founded the International Program for Labor, Climate and Environment (IPLCE), which serves as a global hub linking trade unions, grass roots organizations, social movement leaders and policy-oriented allies to advocate for effective solutions to the climate emergency, and to advance the struggle for energy democracy at all levels.
Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED)
IPLCE hosts Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED), a growing global network of 66 participating unions, federations and allies from more than 20 countries, in both the Global North and Global South. TUED and its members are committed to developing an independent trade union approach to energy transition and climate protection—an approach that takes the science and the urgency seriously, and that recognizes the need for democratic control and social ownership of energy resources, infrastructure, and options. Established in 2012, TUED relocated to CUNY’s Murphy Institute in early 2015 to become part of the new IPLCE.
TUED pursues these aims through:
- High-Impact Research and Analysis to equip leading labor movement, climate justice and community activists with relevant, robust and up-to-date data, analysis and messaging they can use to inform and mobilize their peers and constituencies.
- Activist Education and Leadership Development to strengthen and integrate a growing contingent of “climate literate” labor and community activists, through courses, workshops and materials to enable them to organize and mobilize their constituencies, while fostering accountability to their organizations, communities and each other.
- Convening and Movement Building to nurture powerful, durable relationships between formal and informal structures of organized working people and communities; to develop and pursue strategies to achieve concrete victories; and to help shape, guide and support the struggle for climate justice and a transformative “Just Transition.”
The launch of TUED South was met with enthusiasm, highlighting growing support for a public pathway to energy transition and climate protection, countering ineffective profit-driven policies. Over 70 trade union leaders gathered in Nairobi, establishing a South-led platform focused on a just, public-centered energy transition as an alternative to the G7, IMF, and World Bank’s privatization agenda.
Education and Leadership Development
Climate Leadership Programs
The Climate Leadership Immersion for Union Officers and Staff builds the capacity of the labor movement to engage effectively on critical issues related to climate change and climate policy, by providing union leaders and staff a sound knowledge of the key scientific, technical, political, and historical issues and questions. The Immersion also builds a community of “climate leaders” across the labor movement.
WHY: Climate change has emerged as the greatest challenge of our time. As seen in the People’s Climate March in 2014 and 2017, and the growing number of campaigns in the last several years, the climate movement is growing.
But what, exactly, can be done about climate change, and by whom? What does the science say about the future (or possible futures) we face? And what role should unions play in ensuring that the right policies are developed and implemented in a way that helps workers and communities, builds worker power, and promotes greater equality?
Labor can play a major role in the social and economic transition that needs to occur. To play this role, union leaders, staff and active members need a solid grasp of “climate literacy” to make sense of the policy options and to be able to advocate for and organize around real solutions.
WHO: The Climate Leadership Immersion is designed for union officers, committee chairs, and research, education and policy staff. The Immersion is aimed at union leaders who have been called upon to represent their organizations on climate and environment issues, or who want to help their union play a more effective role in future.
Through guest speakers and videoconferencing, the Immersion draws on the experience of climate scientists, policy experts, climate movement leaders, union leaders, and other domestic and international allies and experts. The Immersion discusses current debates within the climate community, assesses the effectiveness of existing policies and identifies and considers ways to promote real solutions to the climate crisis.
Email the TUED team at unionsforenergydemocracy@gmail.com for more information.
Contact Information
Irene HongPing Shen, International Program on Labor, Climate and Environment, CUNY Murphy Institute, ireneTUED@gmail.com, 917-251-6949
Research and Analysis
Through its research and analysis, IPLCE and TUED equip the labor movement, climate justice initiatives, community leaders and activists with relevant and up-to-date facts and arguments they can use to inform and mobilize their peers and constituencies.
TUED’s series of “Working Papers” expands and clarifies the network’s collective understanding of the scientific, economic, ecological, policy and political realities, and the strategic opportunities available to unions to advance the interests of working people and communities (this is because the subject is “series” which takes the singular form).
IPLCE produces a column, “Earth to Labor: Dispatches from the Climate Battleground” written by Sean Sweeney and published in the journal, New Labor Forum. These columns highlight pressing issues and struggles concerning labor, energy and climate change. including the rising global opposition to fossil fuels and the “extreme energy” agenda.
TUED regularly produces original policy memos and strategy briefing documents aimed to inform and sharpen deliberations across the labor movement and among labor, environmental and climate justice activists and organizations, and to help formulate concrete policy and political interventions that can advance the struggle for climate justice, energy democracy, and Just Transition.
Videos
This is What Energy Democracy Looks Like
TUED 2018 Year in Review
Climate Change: A Just Transition is Possible
Trade Unions and Climate Change: A Conversation with Naomi Klein and Jeremy Corbyn