Labor and the environment

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/dc-download/dc-download/2008/02/labor-and-the-environment/

By Philip Dine
02/11/2008 5:04 pm

WASHINGTON — The labor movement has not traditionally been in the forefront of the environmental movement. In fact, unions have sometimes opposed environmentalists over the issue of protecting jobs vs. protecting the environment.

But this week, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney will give what the labor federation is terming a “groundbreaking address” to the United Nations Summit on Climate Risk. He plans to “detail the effects of global warming on the world economy.”

Sweeney will call for “green jobs and greater awareness of global warming’s impact on working men and women worldwide. “

Joining Sweeney will be international leaders in the environment and business communities in the fight to stop global warming, including former Vice President Al Gore. The address comes as part of the U.N. Investor Summit on Climate Risk, a summit hosted by the United Nations to bring together a diverse group of interests to discuss what needs to be done to stop the accelerated impact of global warming.

Sweeney’s address will detail how global warming effects the world economy and which measures must be taken to halt the progression while taking into account the jobs of working people.

This will take, Sweeney said, “the skills and labor of millions, trillions of dollars of investment capital, and real political leadership.”

Sweeney will speak at the United Nations in New York on Thursday afternoon.