Third Act Union – We are retired Union Members, Organizers, and Elected Leaders deeply concerned about the Climate Crisis and its impacts on working people. As trade unionists in our Second Act, we fought capital–we organized, united workers, fought bosses, bargained contracts, and fought for racial, economic and social justice. In our Third Act, we bring all our experience in these struggles to the fight to save our democracy and our planet.
Our Experience tells us that defending the rights and interests of workers is critical to building a powerful movement to defend the planet. Capital’s dual, simultaneous, and unrelenting exploitation of workers and the environment we depend on for life is the root cause of the Climate Crisis we face today. To quote Pope Francis: “We cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to the causes related to human and social degradation….a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach.”
That is why, as preparations are underway for Sun Day, September 21, we urge working groups to commit to include workers and their unions in all discussions about a Just Transition to a clean and renewable energy future.
Why is this important to us in the climate justice movement?
Answer: Because the Labor Movement has the institutional resources and power we need to win. Because workers and their jobs will be the first casualties of advancing climate change. Because workers and their jobs will be the first casualties of the economic dislocations of a transition to renewable energy.
To help you plan and incorporate Union and Worker perspectives into your Sun Day event, Third Act Union has created educational and informational resources for you in our Tool Kit where you will find information on how to reach out to and talk to Labor Leaders about Sun Day and beyond. We also have a Blog where you will find additional educational material about workers’ role and Organized Labor’s perspective on the Climate Crisis, a Communicators Bureau, listing Labor Movement representatives who can speak at your events about Labor and Climate, and a Slide Deck (link coming soon) for your use in presentations.
We encourage you to make full use of these resources as you plan your Sun Day event – and beyond.
As we work together to win a transition to clean, renewable energy sources and an economy that protects the planet we depend on for life, let us also commit to leaving no worker behind.