Today, manufacturing, mining and energy trade unions, under the umbrella of industriAll European Trade Union, are launching a Europe-wide mobilisation, calling on the European institutions and national governments to make fundamental improvements to the social dimension of the Green Deal. The campaign will take place from 25 October - 10 November 2021.

As Europe gets ready to implement the Green Deal and the measures agreed in the Fit for 55 package, 25 million manufacturing workers in Europe potentially face restructuring and job losses due to the green transformation of our industries - exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis, digitalisation, trade and market developments.

Trade unions support climate action, but insist that the green transformation - the most significant industrial change since the industrial revolution – is matched by an equally powerful social programme to guarantee a socially Just Transition and investment in new job opportunities.

Michael Vassiliadis, President of industriAll Europe:

‘’The transformation can be a real opportunity for good industrial work - but only if we invest boldly, modernise infrastructure and industrial sites and develop jobs. Politicians must now prepare the ground for a decade of industrial renewal. Those who want to organise transformation solely through bans and phase-out targets are choking off Europe's engine of prosperity and risking social upheaval.’’ 

Luc Triangle, General Secretary of industriAll Europe:

‘’Workers need to see how a Just Transition can be achieved in concrete terms. They want to know what their future jobs will be, what jobs their children will have, and what the future will be for their communities and regions. Just Transition Plans need to be concrete and need to deliver.

The green transformation is not only a technological challenge, it is first and foremost a social challenge for the millions of workers who are impacted. Europe’s regional and political cohesion is at stake if we fail to deliver a Just Transition.’’ 

The trade unions have formulated common demands and will organise a variety of activities and events across Europe, ranging from information campaigns at company level, social media campaigns, conferences, training events, media publications, letter campaigns and briefing meetings with national politicians, to national rallies and protest marches.

The two-week mobilisation will conclude on 10 November with a trade union event hosted by industriAll Europe and its sister organisation, IndustriALL Global Union, at the COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.

Please find copies of our policy platform here: EN, DE, FR

IndustriAll European Trade Union represents the voice of 7 million working men and women across supply chains in manufacturing, mining and energy sectors across Europe. We aim to protect and advance the rights of the workers. Our federation has 181 trade union affiliates in 38 European countries. Our objective is to be a powerful player in the European political arena vis-à-vis European companies, European industries, employers’ associations and European institutions.