UNIONS have promised a year of climate action, recognising that the climate emergency is a trade union issue impacting jobs and workers.

In a motion by the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union at TUC Congress today, delegates heard how workers were already “suffering from extreme weather, flooding, and unaffordable fossil fuel energy,” with Britain “unprepared for escalating climate disasters.”

Delegates vowed to promote green bargaining in all training and build national and regional green reps’ networks, as well as support global solidarity initiatives such as Brazil’s proposed 2 per cent tax on billionaires.

They agreed through an amendment by Unite that fossil fuel production can only be ended “when and where a fully funded workers’ plan for jobs has been agreed and delivered in full.”

The Congress also called on the TUC to support and organise a workplace day of action on November 14 and support protests on the global day of solidarity on November 15 as Cop23 takes place in Brazil.