Media Advisory - BC's labour movement and leading environmental organizations
coming together to find solutions to create green jobs and build a green
economy in BC

VANCOUVER, Sept. 9 /CNW/ -

WHAT?

• BC's labour movement and leading environmental organizations are coming together to find solutions to create green jobs and build a green economy in BC;
  

• On September 10 and 11, we are jointly organizing a conference titled "Jobs, Justice, Climate: Building a Green Economy for BC." Together, we will discuss our priorities for creating green jobs and begin to strategize about B.C.'s transition to a green economy.

• Public event: Friday September 10, 2010. Doors open at 6pm. Event starts at 7pm until 10pm (media welcome). The guest speaker is David Foster of the US-based Blue Green Alliance, a strategic partnership between labour unions and environmental organizations in the United States dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the green economy.

WHO?

Twenty-five leading environmental and trade union organizations, including (but not limited to): BC Federation of Labour, Pembina Institute, United Steelworkers of Canada, David Suzuki Foundation, BC Government and Service Employees' Union, Sierra Club BC (see below for full list).

WHEN and WHERE?

• Friday September 10, 2010. Doors open at 6pm. Event starts at 7pm until 10pm

• Location: Plaza Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver.

• The September 11 conference is for representatives from environmental and trade union organizations and is by invitation only (no media).

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

• An opinion editorial on green jobs was published today (Thursday September 9) in the Vancouver Sun by Bob Matters (United Steelworkers) and Matt Horne (Pembina Institute) says that British Columbia's leading environmental organizations and trade unions are coming together in the shared belief that we can create green jobs as we build a green economy in this province.
  

• Labour and environment movement leaders believe we have a unique opportunity to create new, decent jobs, and help curtail global warming;

• Conventional wisdom says you can have a thriving, job-creating economy or a clean environment, but you can't have both. That is a fallacy.

• Examples from around the world prove that with proactive government policies and public investment, you can have a strong economy, create green jobs and have a clean environment.

• Some green jobs will be highly specialized and technical. The vast majority of green jobs will likely be in existing occupations.

• This is also about social justice: the switch to a green economy needs to be inclusive, and not exacerbate the gap between the rich and poor.

• At the conference, we will discuss the green job challenges in four economic sectors that emit a significant proportion of carbon emissions in B.C.: Transportation, Electricity generation and conservation, Buildings, and Resource industries and manufacturing.

• This conference and dialogue between labour and leading environmental organizations is just the beginning. We see this as an important step toward building a vision for the future of our province.

• As part of this conference, a public event will be held on Friday, September 10, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Vancouver, at 7pm. The guest speaker is David Foster of the US-based Blue Green Alliance. 

• The Blue Green Alliance is a strategic partnership between labour unions and environmental organizations in the United States dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the green economy.

List of organizations involved

• Environmental: David Suzuki Foundation, Pembina Institute, Sierra Club B.C., Eco Justice, T. Buck Suzuki Foundation

• Labour: B.C. Federation of Labour, Columbia Institute, B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union, B.C. Teachers Federation, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council, Canadian Auto Workers, Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union 378, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC, Hospital Employees Union, Health Sciences Association B.C., International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees 891, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 230, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union - Local 118, Union of Environment Workers - PSAC, United Steelworkers of Canada.

• Others: Canada Green Building Council, Cascadia Green Building Council, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

For further information:

Media contacts