Now is Not the Time for Small Steps: Solutions to the Climate Crisis and the Role of Trade Unions. A Conversation with Naomi Klein

With UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Naomi Klein’s book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate urges social movements to see themselves as agents of social transformation and a far-reaching democratization of economic life.

This message, recently reinforced by the documentary film of the same name (directed by Avi Lewis), is consistent with the stated goals of many unions.

But how can we take more leadership both as movement builders and as champions of the kind of policies demanded by both the scientific and social realities that we presently confront? And how can we better connect climate change to the rising struggle against austerity, inequality, wars and militarisation?

Sponsored by (list in formation): Public Services International; International Transportworkers Federation; Education International; International Union of Foodworkers; Global Nurses United; Canadian Labour Congress (CLC); Central de Trabajadores Argentinos (CTA); Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Mangagawa (SENTRO) Philippines; FTQ Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec; European Public Services Unions (EPSU); La Fédération Syndicale Unitaire (FSU) France; l’Union Syndicale Solidaires, France; Service Employees International Union (US & Canada); Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE); GMB, UK; National Nurses United (US); Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) United States and Canada; Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW); Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (Fagforbundet); National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Australia; New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA); Public & Commercial Services Union (PCS) UK; Public Services and Transport Workers Union (KPTU) Korea; UNISON, UK; UNITE the Union, UK; United Electrical Workers (UE),US; University and College Union (UCU) UK; Water Workers Union at EYATH, Thessaloniki, Greece; Dipartimento Ambiente e Territorio CGIL. 

(Naomi Klein photo by Kourosh-Keshiri. Jeremy Corbyn photo by Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)