WHEREAS:
Climate change is perhaps as much an economic issue as it is an environmental issue, and represents a dagger pointed at the heart of AFSCME because our very existence relies on the ability to negotiate good contracts tied to solvent, stable government budgets; and
WHEREAS:
Local, state and federal budgets are already being adversely affected by extreme weather events tied to climate change manifestations, such as ever-larger and more powerful storms, epic droughts and year-round fire “seasons,” rising sea levels and unprecedented floods; and
WHEREAS:
Climate change chaos is poised to become perhaps the biggest job killer of all for working people, yet remains largely unrecognized as such; and
WHEREAS:
Virtually every climate change scientist agrees that further emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warming, increasing the likelihood of additional pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems; and
WHEREAS:
The corresponding costs to local, state and federal budgets are immense and will only increase as environmental devastation accelerates; and
WHEREAS:
The Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) is a growing national organization based in the labor movement, which seeks to advance a just, pragmatic transition from an economy and climate in deep crisis to one that has a sustainable future; and
WHEREAS:
LNS honors those workers who build fossil fuel infrastructure, and those who work in the fossil fuel chain, and will fight for a just transition for those workers as fossil fuel jobs disappear and our economy changes; moreover, as we take on the massive job of adapting to the warming world, we will fight for Project Labor Agreements for the building trades unions whose members will need to do that critical work far into the future.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
AFSCME pledges to support educational efforts about the threats of climate change and its associated economic, social and political costs so that we may become part of the solution in protecting workers, their communities and other climate-vulnerable communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
AFSCME shall work with allies who have an interest in protecting workers in a just transition to sustainable jobs in a sustainable future; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
AFSCME will support a study on the impact of climate change on public budgets.
SUBMITTED BY:
Josette Jaramillo, President and Delegate
AFSCME Local 1335, Council 18 Colorado