IRVINE, CA—At their quarterly meeting Friday, the Joint Council of United Automobile Workers (UAW) Local 2865 voted decisively to endorse H.R. 109, the Green New Deal resolution co-sponsored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA).
By endorsing the Green New Deal, UAW 2865 joins a broad range of labor unions from many different sectors, including the Alameda, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego Labor Councils, the California Federation of Teachers, SEIU International, the Los Angeles Labor Federation, Railroad Workers United, American Federation of Teachers-Oregon, and the Oregon State Association of Letter Carriers.
“Our union is proud to join our sibling unions in calling for a response to the climate crisis that puts unionization efforts and plans for unionized workers at the fore. In order to win a Green New Deal, unions are standing together to fight the corporate takeover of our democracy, to protect workers in transition industries, and to revive unionization throughout the country,” said Kavitha Iyengar, UAW 2865 President.
“As graduate instructors and researchers, we understand the existential threat climate change poses to workers, their families, and the economy as a whole,” said Johnathan Guy, UC Berkeley graduate student and organizer with UAW 2865. “We also understand the vital role the University of California system, as the largest employer in one of the largest economies in the world, has to play in bringing about a just transition through a GND for UC, spearheading efforts such as worker retraining, fossil fuel divestment, building retrofitting, sustainable energy, new green construction, and increased workplace democracy.”
“We applaud existing efforts to push the GND to the top of the national political agenda. To this end, we endorse and commit to participating in the Global Climate Strike on September 20, 2019. Our local has also recently launched a survey of its more than 18,000 members about the urgency of climate crisis and identify how members want to participate in the union’s response, including by supporting legislation such as the Green New Deal. We look forward to joining all those who have a stake in a just transition to fight for a more fair, sustainable, and democratic world.”