Transcript Climate Change

Climate Change
Shifting Union Policy
Taking the Climate Change
debate to Members and Industry
Overview
Challenges facing mining
What has union done?
Communications objectives
Bring miners and power workers with union guard against scare campaigns
Articulate independent voice for workers
Building credibility - internal and
external markets
What works in our demographic?
Conclusions
Challenges facing CFMEU
We’re killing the
planet!...discuss options
Industry image already
poor
Workers out of sight, out
of mind
Fertile ground for
skepticism
What has the Union done?
1990-1996 represented ACTU
various tripartite working groups
1992 Union at Rio conference
1997 Union at Kyoto - support
for Kyoto
2001 wrote ICEM CC policy
2007 led ITUC delegation in
Bali - 170 million workers
2008 Chair ACTU Environment
Group
2008 Poznan
2009 Copenhagen
2006 - explosion of public awareness
More evidence of Climate
change
Gore, Stern & IPCC
New mines become
controversial
Miners demonised
2006 CFMEU Policy
Ratify Kyoto
Emissions trading
Increased MRET
Investment in low
emission coal power
Demand mgt programs
Action in transport,
agriculture etc
Shareholder activity
$100K
Huge member support
2007 Climate Change Campaign
Lobby ALP to adopt policy
Shareholder campaign
$1M ad campaign to protect against scare campaign
Build relations with enviro groups - Al Gore training
Ensure member support
UNFCCC involvement
Post 2007 Member Survey
Climate Change

 93%
support union taking position
 Most
want environment and jobs
 Half
felt victimised by anti coal groups
 73%
saw union TV ads
 Half
discussed TV ads at work
 83%
supported TV ads
2008 Alliances
CCS Alliance - accelerate CCS technology
• Aust Coal Assoc
• World Wildlife Fund
• The Climate Institute
•CFMEU
Southern Cross Climate Coalition - social justice, green jobs and
renewables
•Aust Conservation Foundation
•The Climate Institute
•Aust Council of Social Services
•ACTU
The Energy Debate
such as it is
“Mine’s better than yours!”
“CCS/geothermal/solar thermal/tidal power will never work!”
“Uranium is the only answer”
“Renewables can’t deliver baseload”
There is a similar debate about different forms of sequestration
The truth is we need them all
Manufacturing conundrum
By 2050, world will use more aluminium, steel, cement, timber products,
plastics and chemicals - not less - and more transport and energy
when all countries have a carbon price, the location of industry is unaffected
– until then carbon leakage/job loss can occur
unions support range of measures to get through next decade while global
deal implemented
ETS amendments
industry /tax policy/border adjustments - competitiveness
sectoral agreements
world has to have more products, commodities, energy and transport with
less emissions
Communication challenges for
unions
•Garnaut
•Green paper
•EITE
•Generators
•Sectors
•Environment Groups
1. It’s all so bloody complex
2. Maintaining independence
3. Scare campaigns
Stuff that works
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Independence!!
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Involvement at early
stages critical
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Mandates essential
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Personally front meetings
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Stay ahead of game - no
surprises
the message that works

Technology and investment created the old economy
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Technology and investment will drive the new economy
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New industries will be sponsored for rapid growth
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Most existing industries will be modified
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Many of the new jobs are the old jobs
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Genuinely new jobs must be decent jobs
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Conclusion
Unions have been active on climate change for a long time
Engagement with environment groups ,business and unions is critical for government
Our message has been that all industries should take responsibility and we need all
technologies
Debate should be about how we grow, not whether we grow
Polling consistently shows vast support for this position
Community acceptance possible if properly led by government and stakeholders should be bipartisan
Unions have a key role in generating community acceptance