Workers' group - Environmental Challenges

A cross-cutting Just Transition

• Sustainability in light of a Just Transition must be implemented from a cross-cutting approach that includes environmental, economic, and social sustainability, and integrates the principles of the EPSR (European Pillar of Social Rights). In all this process, the protection of Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights must remain a priority. 
• Collective bargaining is a good vehicle for facilitating the adaptation of organisations and employment, as well as working conditions, to the effects of climate change, and it makes it possible to assess and present companies’ investment costs in order to maintain them and adapt them to the requirements of fair and sustainable competitiveness. 
• Social responsibility clauses included in collective bargaining agreements to become a complement to the green public procurement included in social responsibility. 
• Developing, among other measures, a concept of designated employees that act as environmental transition representatives or contact points for matters related to the environmental and ecological transition of the workplace. 
• Push companies to create decarbonisation plans and strategies in close cooperation with trade unions and worker’s representatives. 
• In order for the measures of the Green Deal to be successful, they need the support of EU citizens. In particular, the Green Deal must support citizens that will be most affected by changes (such as industrial restructuring, coal-dependent regional economies, etc.): 
• Reskilling and upskilling of workers. 
• Quality jobs must be offered as alternatives. 
• Social protection of all workers involved in the process. 
• Workers’ Voice, information, consultation, and participation; workers must be an integral part of the transformation, guided by social dialogue. 

A European Directive for a Just Transition

• We need a European Directive for a Just Transition, emphasising anticipation and management of change, with social dialogue and collective bargaining as guiding principles. The social dimension/initiatives to address the challenges of the European Green Deal remain fragmented and underdeveloped compared with the other hard-law Fit for 55 initiatives. 

Monitoring the implementation of the Just Transition Fund and the Social Climate Fund

• Monitoring the implementation of the Just Transition Fund and the Social Climate Fund that ensures solidarity and convergence in Europe. The size of these funds should be increased to ensure appropriate financing to all territories facing socio-economic challenges deriving from the decarbonisation process, supporting workers and providing the adequate measures of social protection, reskilling, quality jobs, and workers’ involvement. 
• The Just Transition Mechanism and Social Climate Fund, which have limited scope and purpose, and the non-binding Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality do not offer the comprehensive policy platform that the EU needs to deal with the impacts of the transition on affected workers, regions and vulnerable individuals. 

Supporting vulnerable groups

• Ensure the adequate support of vulnerable groups and areas directly impacted by climate change and biodiversity loss with early prevention, adaptation, and financial assistance mechanisms. Focus on fast rehabilitation services for people and areas already hit by forest fires, floods and other natural disasters and step-up international efforts for nature restoration. 

A comprehensive reform of the electricity market

• The current crisis has shown that the present design of the market does not provide useful mechanisms to weather shocks, can encourage relatively easily windfall profits, and fails to acknowledge the current needs of decarbonisation and protection of consumers. 

Additional demands of European workers

• For the case of trade agreements, the Green Deal must occupy a central place, especially on the provisions on the Paris agreement and compliance with human rights, ensuring they are a tool for sustainability. 
• Provide indicators to check how money of recovery and public funds is spent. Sanctions to countries which do not spend in line with social and environmental European priorities. 
• A new framework for investment must be developed, allowing Member States and private money to flow towards a sustainable future. We would like to stress again the need to increase the ambition of the European Green Deal investment plan, which needs to be accompanied by massive public investment plans to support the European Green Deal objectives. 
• Addressing regional imbalance (particularly with coal-dependent regions in the EU)
• Recovery plans specifically for coal regions.
• Recovery plans for regions which suffered the crisis especially.
• Role of regional and local authorities in the Green Deal.

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