Workers’ Climate Survey

A Convergence workshop led by John Harrity, retired President of the Connecticut International Association of Machinists and chair of the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs (pictured above), consumer-tested a survey that unions and other labor organizations can use to find out the impact of climate change on our members’ jobs and communities—and to stimulate a discussion of what that means for labor.

An Inventory of Workers, Jobs & Climate Change Beginning an Assessment & a Discussion

This is a survey about the impact of climate change on our members’ jobs and communities. There are several reasons to do this survey at your local, labor council, state or regional organization.

INPUT FROM THE MEMBERSHIP: the survey should give you information about the current and anticipated impact of climate change on your members.

ANALYSIS INSTEAD OF EMOTION: we need to have serious and fact-based discussion about climate change and our jobs & communities. This survey is a way of focusing on the issues, rather than the fear and anger members may feel.

SHIFT DISCUSSION FROM BLAMING “ENVIRONMENTALISTS” TO UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT: the threat to jobs is not due to people who recognize climate change & the need to respond. It is the result of climate change and carbon buildup.

CONVINCE LEADERSHIP IT IS TIME TO ENGAGE & BEGIN PLANNING: the survey should provide Union leadership with evidence that they need to begin tackling this issue.

FORCE LEADERSHIP TO ACT: Union leadership needs to feel pressure from the membership to get going on this. The survey should help make that case.

RESET THE DEBATE BASED ON REALITY: The survey should help show, based on what members see happening around them, that climate change is already impacting our lives and cannot be ignored.