Rio+20 Portal

Also available in Español

For the trade union movement, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) is an event of paramount importance. With the aim of making the voice of trade union organizations relevant and one of reference, the International Trade Union Confederation and Sustainlabour are organizing the II Trade Union Assembly on Labour and Environment on June 11, 12, and 13 in Rio de Janeiro.

The countdown to Rio has already started and so has the work on the II Assembly with the objective of renewing our commitment to the planet and presenting our proposals.

Kwasi Amankwah, General Secretary of ITUC Africa, Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of ITUC, Anne Demelenne, General Secretary of FGTB, Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, Artur Enrique, President CUT Brasil, Bernardette Segole, General Secretary of ETUC and Zwalenzima Vavi, General Secretary of COSATU.

The assembly will combine various themes and formats. Discussions in plenary will be held around issues such as a new development paradigm, the challenges for employment, social inclusion and poverty eradication in a sustainable planet, financing sustainable development and the investments we need, the right to information, participation and justice, the social protection floor, the Financial Transaction Tax, etc.

In addition, we will also address in different working groups issues such as sustainable access to food, energy, water; green jobs and just transition, with a special emphasis on opportunities for women and youth; trade union action and climate change; sustainable management of chemical substance; collective bargaining for sustainable development, among others.

All of these themes will be prepared through this tool. We welcome you to this space for information, participation and work for all unionists towards Rio+20.

The Assembly: a stepping stone to Rio – what will be discussed?

The central themes of the Assembly to be discussed in plenary sessions are based around the 3 key trade union priorities for Rio+20. Following consultations, 5 thematic working groups have been set up to start work on the Assembly. Join a group!

On the road to Rio workers and trade unions have been mobilizing around three demands articulated by the International Trade Union Confederation, calling for concrete outcomes related to the creation of Green and Decent Jobs, the establishment of a Social Protection Floor, and the launch of a global Financial Transactions Tax. The plenary sessions of the Assembly will therefore address the following themes:

• A New Development Paradigm, Challenges for Employment, Social Inclusion and Poverty Eradication in a Sustainable Planet
• Financing sustainable development, a trade union agenda: new global levies, wealth redistribution, and the role of pension funds
• Right to information, to participation and justice: communities’ and workers’ rights
• Investments for a new sustainable economy: green and decent jobs
• Vulnerability, social protection and just transition: the social protection floor

The thematic working groups have been created with the aim of providing a space where trade unions can have a debate on the priorities and determine our future commitments regarding key issues on sustainability.

Based on feedback received, these are the final working groups:

• Sustainable access to food, energy and water
• Green jobs and just transition: opportunities and challenges for women and youth
• Trade Union action on climate change
• Sustainable management of chemicals
• Collective bargaining for sustainable development

The Assembly which combines diverse themes and formats will also provide a space for presenting and exchanging trade union experiences related to the environment.

Join these discussions and participate alongside that include trade union leaders such as Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Kwasi Amarkwah, General Secretary of the African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-AF), Bernardette Segol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), and Noriyoki Suzuki, General Secretary of the Asia and the Pacific Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-AP), among others.