By Oren Kadosh, LNS Staff
Several LNS staff recently attended the 2022 Labor Notes Conference in Chicago, IL. It was the largest ever held, and by many accounts, the most inspiring and energizing to date. Between the numerous panels, workshops, and meetings covering all facets of building a strong and democratic labor movement, there were six devoted to discussing and teaching about the intersection of work, unions, and climate change.
LNS staff member Liz Ratzloff presented on one of these panels entitled “An Introduction to Labor and the Climate World: A Bird’s Eye View” where she spoke about LNS’s ongoing work to build a powerful labor-climate movement and answered audience questions. The weekend featured a keynote address from Senator Bernie Sanders who shared a stage with some of our movement’s inspiring labor leaders, like Chris Smalls, President of the Amazon Labor Union.
Staff also held a presence at its dedicated LNS table, meeting longtime friends and members of the organization but also welcoming many new interested organizers and individuals into its fold. Staff will now get to work synthesizing takeaways from the vast expertise of those who used their workshop forums to educate conference participants about all manner of strategies, tactics, and first-hand experiences in movement building. This knowledge will be invaluable in informing LNS’s current and evolving work to build a just transition, expand equitable public transit, and organize with young workers eager to act on the climate crisis.