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| Leading US union SEIU makes fighting climate change a campaign priority | Leading US union SEIU makes fighting climate change a campaign priority |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One of the US’s largest unions voted to use political pressure to fight climate change on Tuesday, citing events such as Hurricane Sandy, the California drought and the water situation in Flint, Michigan, as examples of how the phenomenon disproportionately affects its members. | One of the US’s largest unions voted to use political pressure to fight climate change on Tuesday, citing events such as Hurricane Sandy, the California drought and the water situation in Flint, Michigan, as examples of how the phenomenon disproportionately affects its members. |
| Related: Obama's methane rule an aggressive step toward tackling climate change | Related: Obama's methane rule an aggressive step toward tackling climate change |
| Members of the two-million-strong Service Employees International Union (SEIU) voted to add environmental justice to the list of the union’s priorities and to use its powerful voice at the state and federal level to put climate change on the political agenda in 2016. | Members of the two-million-strong Service Employees International Union (SEIU) voted to add environmental justice to the list of the union’s priorities and to use its powerful voice at the state and federal level to put climate change on the political agenda in 2016. |
| The SEIU previously succeeded in making the fight for a $15 minimum wage a national issue and was able to get it on the legislative agenda in a handful of US states and cities. Its campaign led to major victories for the minimum wage movement in states including California and New York. | |
| The union now hopes to do the same for climate change – a subject that has been largely absent so far from the 2016 presidential campaign. The proposal could prove controversial with some in the labor movement, considering that more than 100,000 energy-related jobs have been lost in the last year and a half. | |
| According to the SEIU, climate change disproportionately affects low-income and minority communities, where many of its members live. As such, the union is committing its resources to “broadening environmental justice”. | According to the SEIU, climate change disproportionately affects low-income and minority communities, where many of its members live. As such, the union is committing its resources to “broadening environmental justice”. |
| The SEIU international president, Mary Kay Henry, said: “SEIU members live and work in some of the most polluted zip codes in America and are part of communities that are most impacted by climate change. We know first-hand that our fights for economic, racial and immigrant justice are inextricably linked to the fight for environmental justice. | |
| “Our members adopted a platform today to take on the fight for environmental justice and to stand in solidarity with the rest of the labor movement to demand clean air and water, healthy and safe communities and a just transition for all workers affected by a transition to a clean energy economy.” | “Our members adopted a platform today to take on the fight for environmental justice and to stand in solidarity with the rest of the labor movement to demand clean air and water, healthy and safe communities and a just transition for all workers affected by a transition to a clean energy economy.” |
| Barbara Carr, 34, who works as a home healthcare worker in Flint, Michigan, said she voted in favor of the SEIU environmental commitment because of what she has “been through with my city and our water system”. | Barbara Carr, 34, who works as a home healthcare worker in Flint, Michigan, said she voted in favor of the SEIU environmental commitment because of what she has “been through with my city and our water system”. |
| “We should never have to worry about having clean water,” said the mother of three. Carr has lived in Flint all her life and has been working in healthcare since 2001. It is her hope that the SEIU will help expand water education outreach and help ensure that what has happened in Flint will not happen in other US cities. | “We should never have to worry about having clean water,” said the mother of three. Carr has lived in Flint all her life and has been working in healthcare since 2001. It is her hope that the SEIU will help expand water education outreach and help ensure that what has happened in Flint will not happen in other US cities. |
| Martha Valladares, 67, also hopes that her community will become better informed about air and water pollution and the need to fight climate change. One of her daughters was diagnosed with asthma at three years old and even now, while working as a nurse, she has asthma and has to “carry her own breathing machine”. Valladares says air pollution is to blame for her daughter’s condition. | Martha Valladares, 67, also hopes that her community will become better informed about air and water pollution and the need to fight climate change. One of her daughters was diagnosed with asthma at three years old and even now, while working as a nurse, she has asthma and has to “carry her own breathing machine”. Valladares says air pollution is to blame for her daughter’s condition. |
| Related: Green really is the new black as Big Oil gets a taste for renewables | Related: Green really is the new black as Big Oil gets a taste for renewables |
| The SEIU’s commitment to environmental justice drew praise from the environmental movement as well as the White House. | The SEIU’s commitment to environmental justice drew praise from the environmental movement as well as the White House. |
| “We applaud SEIU’s commitment to cleaner air and water for our communities, their resolve to tackle the impacts of climate change especially amongst the most vulnerable, and their work to see that workers benefit from our transition to a clean energy economy,” said Brian Deese, senior adviser to the president. | “We applaud SEIU’s commitment to cleaner air and water for our communities, their resolve to tackle the impacts of climate change especially amongst the most vulnerable, and their work to see that workers benefit from our transition to a clean energy economy,” said Brian Deese, senior adviser to the president. |
| Michael Leon Guererro, national coordinator at the Climate Justice Alliance, described the SEIU as “a critical partner in building a diverse and powerful climate movement”. | Michael Leon Guererro, national coordinator at the Climate Justice Alliance, described the SEIU as “a critical partner in building a diverse and powerful climate movement”. |
| The Sierra Club, America’s largest environmental group, welcomed the push, praising the SEIU as a “cutting edge, progressive union that is showing the way for the union movement”. | The Sierra Club, America’s largest environmental group, welcomed the push, praising the SEIU as a “cutting edge, progressive union that is showing the way for the union movement”. |
| Dean Hubbard, director of the labor and economic program at the Sierra Club, said there was a “crying need for visionary leadership” in unions to embrace a clean energy economy. | Dean Hubbard, director of the labor and economic program at the Sierra Club, said there was a “crying need for visionary leadership” in unions to embrace a clean energy economy. |
| The SEIU vote took place about a week after the union and environmental wings of the Democratic party’s base reportedly clashed over the input of wealthy environmentalist Tom Steyer. | The SEIU vote took place about a week after the union and environmental wings of the Democratic party’s base reportedly clashed over the input of wealthy environmentalist Tom Steyer. |
| Earlier this month, it was reported that the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the US, was joining forces with three other public employee unions to form a Super Pac to campaign against Donald Trump in battleground states. The SEIU considered joining the Super Pac, but opted out, according to Politico. | Earlier this month, it was reported that the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the US, was joining forces with three other public employee unions to form a Super Pac to campaign against Donald Trump in battleground states. The SEIU considered joining the Super Pac, but opted out, according to Politico. |
| Steyer’s participation in this effort to elect Democrats raised concerns that jobs related to fossil fuel projects would be sacrificed in favor of fighting climate change. | Steyer’s participation in this effort to elect Democrats raised concerns that jobs related to fossil fuel projects would be sacrificed in favor of fighting climate change. |
| “We are not climate science deniers and have merely sought to ensure that the employment prospects of our members are not negatively impacted in any economic and energy transition,” presidents of seven building trade unions said in a letter to the AFL-CIO’s president, Richard Trumka. The unions, which represent workers such as engineers, roofers, plumbers and plasterers, said they would not participate in the Super Pac and requested that the AFL-CIO terminate ties with Steyer. | “We are not climate science deniers and have merely sought to ensure that the employment prospects of our members are not negatively impacted in any economic and energy transition,” presidents of seven building trade unions said in a letter to the AFL-CIO’s president, Richard Trumka. The unions, which represent workers such as engineers, roofers, plumbers and plasterers, said they would not participate in the Super Pac and requested that the AFL-CIO terminate ties with Steyer. |
| On Monday, dressed in the union’s signature purple color, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton took the stage at the SEIU convention and praised the members for leading on a number of issues, including environmental justice. | On Monday, dressed in the union’s signature purple color, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton took the stage at the SEIU convention and praised the members for leading on a number of issues, including environmental justice. |
| “I am proud that SEIU members across the country are standing up for criminal justice reform and calling for environmental and economic justice for every community. I will be by your side every step of the way,” she promised. | “I am proud that SEIU members across the country are standing up for criminal justice reform and calling for environmental and economic justice for every community. I will be by your side every step of the way,” she promised. |