Steelworkers, Sierra Club Join Forces on Environmental Issues
The issue of global warming has united a leading force in organized labor with a leader in the environmental movement. Speaking May 7 to the North American Labor Conference on Climate Crisis at Cornell University, United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard called for tougher controls on carbon emissions in global trade pacts -- which labor long has wanted to contain stronger labor protections.
"Global warming has transformed the issue of pollution into the ultimate health and safety issue," Gerard said, according to the report posted on www.aflcio.org's blog. "Labor, environmental, and human rights are at the core of our vision for making the global economy work for workers. They should become the new gold standard for how nations trade with each other."
USW joined with the Sierra Club in 2006 to form the Blue Green Alliance (www.bluegreenalliance.org/index.asp), which is a partnership committed to mobilizing public support for policies that create good jobs, a cleaner environment, and a safer world.