On April 3rd, 2020, Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED) hosted a Global Web Forum on how unions are responding to the evolving global public health, economic and social crises set in motion by the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 200 participants from 70 unions in 25 countries.
Speakers on the call reported from the USA, South Korea, the Philippines, India, South Africa and Australia.
Reports highlighted:
- The immediate struggles facing workers and working class communities around the globe.
- The impact of decades of austerity and privatization under neoliberalism, that have left so many vulnerable in dealing with existing conditions.
- The need to work together to formulate responses that can advance international solidarity and pro-public solutions to the immediate challenges.
- The enduring ecological crisis that we must still address no matter how the immediate crises play out.
You can find additional information from the call below:
- Videorecording of the meeting
- Agenda
- List of Participants (missing some late additions)
- Union Statements and Resources on COVID-19
- Chat Box Record (actions, resources, questions, information)
There is also a short report of the meeting from Nancy Romer of the Professional Staff Congress—American Federation of Teachers (PSC-AFT), addressed to other members of her union’s environmental justice working group, available here.
Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED) is a global, multi-sector trade union initiative to advance democratic direction and control of energy in a way that promotes solutions to the climate crisis, energy poverty, the degradation of both land and people, and responds to the attacks on workers’ rights and protections. TUED is is part of the Global Labour Institute Network. For more information on how your union can be part of TUED, see here.