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COP26 Coalition Trade Union Meeting – Briefing for trade unions

The branch is supporting #WeMakeTomorrow, the trade union and workers’ mobilisation for climate justice during COP26. It is coordinated by the Trade Union Caucus of the COP26 Coalition. This briefing for trade unions and it can also be viewed as a Google Slides presentation here or on the #WeMakeTomorrow website here.

Introduction

This November, world leaders will meet in Glasgow at the global climate talks – COP26 – to discuss our future. The COP26 Coalition is a civil society coalition of trade unions, NGOs, community organisations mobilising a week of global action for climate justice.

Our Plans

5 November – Supporting Global youth strikes
6 November – Global Day of Action
7-10 November – People’s Summit

The Global Day of Action

NB. More information about the 5 Nov and People’s Summit will be available soon.

On the 6 November, we are organising decentralised mass mobilisations across the world, bringing together movements to build power for system change – from indigenous struggles to trade unions, and from racial justice groups to youth strikers.

In the UK, primary regional demonstrations will take place in:

Glasgow / London / Belfast / Cardiff / Newcastle / Manchester / Sheffield / Nottingham / Birmingham / Norfolk / Cambridge / Bristol / Brighton / Leeds

See https://cop26coalition.org/gda/ for information.

The Trade Union Caucus of the COP26 Coalition brings together activists from across the trade union movement. We are mobilising the biggest trade union climate mobilisation in UK history: #WeMakeTomorrow

Read more about why COP26 and climate justice is a trade union issue in our briefing paper here and about why workers should participate on our website here. 

The mobilisation is supported by: BFAWU / EQUITY / PCS / UCU / UNISON / UNITE  / NEU

SLOGANS

#SystemChangeNotClimateChange

#ClimateJobsAndJustice

#JustTransitionNow

#OurClimateOurJobs/Homes/Transport/Struggle/Etc.

AIMS

  • Visibility – Platform workers and our unions in the climate fight
  • Support – Support the wider mobilisations with funds, logistics etc.
  • Organising – Educate workers about organising for transition at work
  • Movement building – Build future action for a worker led future

ON THE 6 NOV GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION

Each of the main demonstrations will consist of blocs (sections) showing the diversity of our movements.

We will mobilise big, powerful and united trade union and workers blocs on each of them

DIGITAL MOBILISATION

To help trade unions and workers to organise and find actions to join, we have created dedicated social media channels and a website featuring an action map and resources including a model motion, organising guides and editable graphics: www.wemaketomorrow.org

Trade unionists are encouraged to add mobilising meetings and workplace actions to the action map.

NEXT STEPS

We have recently held a meeting with General Secretaries and another with 50+ regional trade union staff and leaders. Next will come a regional trade union mobilising meeting for each demonstration. Get in touch to help us organise these.

HOW TO HELP

To put the trade union movement at the heart of the fight for climate justice means we need your help to make these mobilisations the biggest ever.

The urgent need is to help organise a big regional trade union meeting for each of the main demonstrations. We aim to hold these between now and 8 October  (Update: London is planned for 30 September). 

Please contact Stuart Melvin on workers@cop26coalition.org urgently if you can help mobilise members and workers on November 6, 2021.

Please contact Camille Barbagallo on cbarbagallo@waronwant.org for information about the People’s Summit, movements assemblies and all any other COP26 Coalition issues. 

Otherwise, here’s how to help right now:

  1. Help organise the bloc near you – Get in touch with us. We will provide support and guidance to help you liaise with your local COP26 Coalition Hub and with the TUC, trades councils and union offices and branches in your area to build big, powerful, united blocs.
  2. Encourage your activists to pass our model motion at your branch, council or TUC
  3. Mobilise your members and other workers to join the blocs – Check out our Mobilisation Guide, Pledge Sheet and editable graphics on our website.

Email Stuart Melvin on workers@cop26coalition.org or sign up at  www.wemaketomorrow.org  and we will be in touch!