TRADE UNION leaders representing 2.3 million workers have written to the leaders of the Cop26 nations urging them to listen to their voices on climate issues “before, during and after” the conference.

Officials from 14 leading unions,  including Unite, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), the National Education Union (NEU), the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) complained that workers will be largely excluded from the negotiations in the coming weeks.

The union leaders said that, “too often, workers’ voices have been ignored when it comes to decision-making about the climate and plotting a route out of the catastrophe we now face.”

They added that, “whether it is the measures we use to address climate change or how we protect workers’ jobs and livelihoods as we transition to a more sustainable society, there are many issues where workers should have a central say.”

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “Cop26 leaders need to listen to our demands and talk to workers and their representatives.

“Workers’ voices need to be heard when it comes to vital decisions on how we fight climate change and protect jobs and livelihoods as we do so.

“Workers should be a part of making these decisions as far as possible, not simply have the decisions made for them. They are the ones best placed to decide what is best for them and form their own futures.”

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “The voice of educators needs to be heard loud and clear, as they will be supporting our children, leading the way towards a better future.”

The TUC called on Britain to lead a just transition for workers to a net-zero world, insisting that unions globally want to see a shared commitment to green job creation and workers’ rights over the next two weeks. 

General secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Cop26 is a chance to put the world on a path of hope and opportunity and the transition to net zero is an opportunity not only to protect our climate but to do so while protecting and creating good jobs.

“From the leaders gathering in Glasgow, we need not only commitments to emission reductions but also a clear path to a just transition for working people.

“The government must listen to unions and employers and implement in full the recommendations of its own green jobs task force.”