green unionism

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, June 23, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists:

Lead Story:

• In the Global Apparel Industry, Abusive and Deadly Working Conditions Are Still the Norm - By Erik Loomis, In These Times, June 15, 2015

Bread and Roses:

• Ben & Jerry’s commits to work with Vermont dairy workers toward agreement to adopt Milk with Dignity Program in company’s Northeast dairy supply chain! - Coalition of Immokalee Workers, June 22, 2015
• Al Jazeera Documentary Shows Mexican Farmworkers’ Struggles in Historic Strike - By Rachel Luban, In These Times, June 20, 2015
• Migrant Farmworkers Ask Ben and Jerry's to Provide "Milk With Dignity" - By Jonathan Leavitt, Truthout, June 19, 2015
• California Court Ruling Could Make It Nearly Impossible for Farmworkers To Win Union Contracts - By David Bacon, In These Times, June 17, 2015
• Sri Lanka: Implement the Glyphosate Herbicide ban immediately! - By National Movement Against Poisons, La Via Campesina, June 17, 2015
• 1000 Cow Factory Farms: Milk crisis - By José Miguel Pacheco Gonçalves, Isabel Vilalba, and Victor Pereira, La Via Campesina, June 16, 2015
• Cycles of Oppression, Cycles of Liberation: The Nasa People of Colombia Are Dispossessed Once Again - By Natalia Fajardo, Upside Down World, June 15, 2015
• West Coast Grange Wars: A Reborn Farmers’ Movement Takes on Corporate Agriculture - By John Collins, In These Times, June 14, 2015

An Injury to One is an Injury to All:

• Reflections on the Miners Memorial Weekend: Cumberland, British Columbia - By Nick Mullins, The Thoughtful Coal Miner, June 21, 2015
• It’s “the President’s call”: Safer Communities or More Foot-dragging - By Taylor Smith-Hams, Greenpeace Blog, June 18, 2015
• New York State Legislators Have Just One More Day To Pass a Bill Protecting Nail Salon Workers - By Karen Gwee, In These Times, June 17, 2015
• OSHA says open-flame heater caused gas rig fire that killed three Oklahoma workers - Associated Press, June 17, 2015
• Judge Greenlights Malibu School PCB Lawsuit; District Spending Tops $6 Million in Steps to Avoid Complete Cleanup - By Kirsten Stade, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, June 16, 2015
• Campaign Victory: Full Compensation Secured for Rana Plaza Victims - By Judy Gearhart, International Labor Rights Forum, June 8, 2015

Carbon Bubble:

• NOV cuts 1,500 jobs in Norway amid crude crunch - By Joshua Cain, FuelFix, June 17, 2015
• Statoil to cut 2,000 jobs, adding to Norway’s woes - Bloomberg, June 16, 2015
• What happened to 160,000 fracking jobs? Under Wolf, the numbers change - By Marie Cusick, State Impact, June 16, 2015
• The dark side of the shale bust - By Nick Cunningham, OilPrice.Com, June 14, 2015

Just Transition:

• Replacing Hazelwood is urgent, but who pays for the jobs transition? - By David Spratt, Climate Code Red, June 17, 2015
• Want More U.S. Jobs? Enforce Carbon Pollution Limits - By Farron Cousins, DeSmog Blog, June 15, 2015

Other News:

• Monument to labor activist Mother Jones rededicated in Mount Olive - By Steven Spearie, State Journal Register, June 20, 2015
• Workers clean up oil spill on California beaches by hand - Associated Press, June 20, 2015
• Could a California labor ruling drive Uber under? - By Heather Smith, Grist, June 17, 2015
• Uber must die - By David Bush, rankandfile.ca, June 16, 2015
• Workers at Chile's Collahuasi copper mine end strike - By Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.Com, June 16, 2015
• Steelworkers to vote on agreement to return to work at Galveston Bay refinery - By L.M. Sixel, FuelFix, June 15, 2015
• Martial law has anti-mine protesters back at work - By Franklin Briceno, Associated Press, June 12, 2015
• Outfitters seek exemption from new federal minimum wage; Bill would allow recreation businesses to operate on federal land without paying staff $10.10 an hour - By Elizabeth Shogren, High Country News, June 12, 2015

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC; Hashtags: #greenunionism #greensyndicalism

By NUMSA - Trade Unions for Energy Democracy, June 19, 2015

Electricity Crisis Conference Declaration

1. Introduction:

We, as representatives of trade unions that organise in the energy sector and delegates from communities that are struggling around outages, loadshedding, high electricity prices and poor quality of energy services, met for four days (from 02 to 05 June 2015) in the midst of what we consider as a far-reaching electricity crisis in our country. As we met, on the table of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) is an application by South Africa’s electricity utility – Eskom – for a 25.3% increase in the price of electricity for the year 2015/16 to 2017/18. As we met, Nersa had agreed to grant municipalities an above-inflation increase of 12.2% from 01 July 2015 and that nine municipalities were applying for average increases above the Nersa increase guideline of 12.2%. We also gathered when delegates at this conference from two municipalities were unsure whether they will reach their homes at the end of our deliberations still with some power, as Eskom threatened to plunge into darkness their defaulting municipalities today.

The electricity crises that face us worsen with each day that passes. The crisis is multipronged. It is a supply crisis and chronic load-shedding. What we see is a financial meltdown of Eskom; massive cost and time overruns in the build programme of new power plants such Medupi and Kusile; and a worsening governance practices within Eskom as executives come and go, leaving with millions of rands as golden handshakes. We have also seen the downgrading of Eskom within capital markets and a ballooning debt for the utility as municipalities fail to pay their bills to Eskom.

As delegates to this Electricity Crisis Conference, we are enthused that our people are refusing to shoulder the implications and consequences of the crises. Throughout the four days, we heard of gallant battles against unaffordable electricity increases and imposition of prepaid meters that are being waged in different communities who refuse to have the burden of the electricity crises shifted onto them. At the forefront of these battles are women who unfortunately still bear the brunt of reproductive activities in our society. Our people realise that the electricity crises directly affects their children’s ability to learn and to be taught as schools are cut off. Our people realise that as most of their staple diets are electricity intensive, tariff hikes increase food hunger in South Africa. They know that an increase in the price of electricity will lead to retrenchments and short-time for workers.

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, June 16, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists:

Lead Stories:

• In Wyoming it’s now illegal to collect data about pollution - By Will Potter, Green is the New Red, June 8, 2015
• Protesters Press Secluded G7 Leaders on Harmful Policies, from Crippling Austerity to Dirty Coal - Democracy Now Interview, June 8, 2015

Fracking the EPA:

• Here’s What Most Media Outlets Left Out of Their Reporting on EPA Fracking Study - By Denise Robbins, EcoWatch, June 9, 2015

Bread and Roses:

• Stop Seed Laws that Criminalise Farmers & Defend Local Seeds! - La Via Campesina, June 9, 2015
• People's Expo in Milan puts focus on farmers' rights not corporate concerns - By Rosie Scammell, The Guardian, June 8, 2015

An Injury to One is an Injury to All:

• Labor Department Audits MSHA - Appalachian Voices, June 15, 2015
• Coalition Briefing Drives Home Need for Chemical Safety Requirements - By Taylor Smith-Hams, Greenpeace Blogs, June 12, 2015
• Was Bush’s EPA More Committed to Chemical Plant Safety than Obama’s? - By Taylor Smith-Hams, Greenpeace Blogs, June 10, 2015
• Niagara County union head claims asbestos exposure - By Philip Gambini, Niagara Gazette, June 8, 2015
• South Africa: Frans Baleni kicked out! A heavy defeat for the COSATU and NUM right wing - By Ben Morken, Marxist.Com, June 8, 2015
• ILWU leaders join protest in Perth against Chevron projects - The ILWU Dispatcher, June 2, 2015
• What did Not Have to Be: The BC Sawmill Tragedies - By Carole Pearson, Our Times, Spring 2015

1267-Watch:

• California Nurses, Teachers Oppose Phillips 66 Oil Train Project - National Nurses United, June 15, 2015
• Educators Take Stand Against Central Coast Oil Train Project; Hazardous Crude Oil Trains Endanger California's Schools, Students - By Claudia Briggs (California Teachers' Association) and Valarie Love (Center for Biolaogical Diversity), Center for Biological Diversity, June 10, 2015
• Feds order trains to have more crew after fatal Amtrak derailment - By Bart Jansen, USA Today, June 9, 2015

Carbon Bubble:

• Coal miners First Arch, Peabody hit by lawsuits over retirement plans - By Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.Com, June 15, 2015
• Oil layoffs reach 150,000, recruiting firm says - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, June 12, 2015

Just Transition:

• Our Local Green Future - By Darwin BondGraham, East Bay Express, June 10, 2015
• The Real War on Coal: Big Oil vs. King Coal - By Nick Mullins, The Thoughtful Coal Miner, June 10, 2015
• The Transition Will Not Be Smooth Sailing - By Michel Bauwens, Shareable, June 8, 2015
• Will the climate justice movement "Seattle" the Paris talks? - By Brent Patterson, The Council of Canadians, June 7, 2015

Other News:

• Consultation and Accommodation: Turning the Tide on Bomb Trains - By Stephyn Quirke, Earth First! Newswire, June 15, 2015
• USW Urges Senate to Keep Domestic Crude Oil Export Ban In Place - United Steel Workers, June 10, 2015
• Steelworkers, Marathon Petroleum reach tentative deal for Texas City refinery - By LM Sixel, FuelFix, June 8, 2015
• Toledo Refinery Workers OK New Contract with BP-Husky; Vote Ends Labor Dispute, Part of National Strike That Began in February - By Patrick Gallagher, United Steel Workers, June 5, 2015
• Tens of Thousands March Against Global Elites Ahead of G7 - By Sarah Lazare, Common Dreams, June 4, 2015
• Food Is Free gives food for thought on green anarchy - By Andrew Masterson, Brisbane Times, May 24, 2015
• Ever heard of the Battle of Blair Mountain? Federal troops were called against 13,000 miners; Yep - By Brandon Weber, Upworthy, April 29, 2015

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC; Hashtags: #greenunionism #greensyndicalism

By James Jordan - People's World, June 11, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

What does it take to stop a transnational corporate giant in its tracks when it threatens workers, farmers and communities? The people of Arequipa, Peru have an answer.

Unionists, rural workers, popular movements, and environmentalists are coming together in this region of southern Peru to halt the proposed Tia Maria copper mine. The mine project belongs to Southern Copper Corporation, a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico.

Mine opponents are demanding respect for workers rights, community democracy and involvement in development decisions and protection for the ecosystem and rural farmers. Tia Maria would be a large pit mine projected to have a 20 year life span. Protesters are concerned about the likelihood of contamination of the region's water supply.

The federal government has declared martial law and sent troops into the region. It has also called for a 60-day pause in mine development.

Police forces are under contract with Southern Copper to protect the mine, which places in question their commitment to public safety. So far three protesters have been killed in demonstrations against the mine, and more than 200 have been wounded.

By Lynda Sullivan - Upside Down World, June 10, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

Peru has been rocked once again by a social conflict which pits the government, looking out for the economic interests of a multinational corporation, against its people. The Tia Maria Mine, an open-pit project of Southern Copper Corporation, controlled by Grupo Mexico, is the latest attempted imposition of a destructive mega-project by big business on rural communities in the interior of the country. To date, the conflict has claimed eight lives: four in 2011 and four more since April of this year. The affected communities have been on an indefinite strike since March 23rd and, as a response, President Ollanta Humala has called a state of emergency, permitting the Armed Forces and the National Police to violate the constitutional rights of the local population in the hope that repression will breed consent. However, the threatened farmers say that they will fight to the end, and the company, making use of the red carpet set down by the Peruvian state, also does not appear to be giving up on its 1.4 billion dollar investment anytime soon.

The conflict dates back to 2009, when the company first produced its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Tia Maria, a copper extraction project hoping to mine 120 thousand tons of copper cathodes per year during its 18 year life span. It would be situated in the district of Cocachacra, though its effects would also reach the districts of Punta del Bombón, Deán Valdivia and Mejía, regions all belonging to the province of Islay, in the department of Arequipa. The most sensitive and threatened area is the Tambo Valley, which is considered the 'larder' of the Arequipa region, and wider afield. Ninety-seven percent of its agricultural produce and eighty-eight percent of its fishing catch goes to feeding the south of the country. The valley employs more than 15 thousand families and produces a profit of around 320 million soles a year (roughly $100 million) [1].

Tia Maria would consist of two open pits; the largest of which, La Tapada, would be situated just 2.4 km from the Tambo Valley. The second, sharing the name of Tia Maria, would be just 1 km further [2]. The subterranean waters that are connected to the Tambo River would pass just 250 meters from the open pits. The communities along the Tambo Valley, on seeing the project’s dangerous proximity to their fertile lands, formed the Tambo Valley Defense Front, a platform on which to project their voice. In October 2009 the Defense Front lead a popular consultation in the districts of Cocachacra, Punta del Bombón and Deán Valdivia, resulting in an overwhelming rejection of the project with 93.4% voting against it [3].

By Hamza Hamouchene and Mika Minio-Paluello - Jadaliyya, June 10, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.