Rally for Renewable Energy, Jobs and Regional Communities

Don't Let Baillieu Pull the Plug on Renewable Energy Save Wind and Solar Rally for Renewable Energy, Jobs and Regional Communities

12.30pm Thursday 29 September
Parliament House Steps, Melbourne
Bring a placard or banner, bring your friends!

In one black week for renewable energy, the state government recently brought in planning laws that will restrict wind farms from any new developments in the state, and then slashed the solar feed-in tariff.

Less than a month later, it is clear this is having a negative effect on the development of clean, renewable energy. Wind developers and solar companies are closing down or leaving the state. Come along to tell Ted Baillieu that this is the wrong way and that we want support for renewable energy in Victoria, exactly one month after the new wind laws were introduced.

There will be protests in other centres at the same time, including Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong. Contact Ben Courtice on 0413 580 706 below for details.

Find on facebook https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=220957584624211
Organised by Friends of the Earth, Mount Alexander Sustainability Group, Geelong Sustainability Group, Ballarat Renewable Energy and Beyond Zero Emissions

Endorsed by Environment Victoria

Organising Meeting - September 1

Next Organising Meeting:
6pm - 7:30 Thursay, 1 September

Proposed Agenda
- Progress on jobs plan
- Choose the Logo
- Strategy
- Carbon Tax position

Organising Meeting - August 8

Meeting moved to monday august 8

* Progress made within unions endorsments etc
* Planning for our next event
* Discussion Carbon tax: will it help, where do we stand
* UCAN Logo, we need an image
* Thursday, bob brown

All welcome to attend

Public Meeting - Climate, Jobs and Green Bans - 6.30pm Wed, August 3

What attitude should unions have to new coal-fired power & HRL?

Speakers
Jack Mundey - leader of the Builders' Labourers Federation's famous 'Green Bans' in the 1970's
Steve Dodd - Assistant secretary Gippsland Trades and Labour Council
Luke Van Der Meulen - President Victorian District Branch, Mining & Energy Division,CFMEU
Merryn Redenbach - Stop HRL Campaign

6.30pm Wed, August 3,
New Council Chambers, Trades Hall
(corner Lygon & Victoria Sts Carlton)

UCAN monthly meetings

Don't forget our monthly meetings take place on the first Thursday of each month. Usually it is held at the Climate Action Centre in Trades Hall. Any questions, please contact us at ucan@live.com.au

May 5 regular meeting

This months regular Union Climate Action Network meeting will be 6.30pm this Thursday May 5 at the Climate Action Centre, 5th Floor, New Building, Trades Hall (corner Victoria and Lygon Sts Carlton).

We will be continuing our work promoting the Beyond Zero Emissions plan for renewable energy jobs, and will be planning our next forum on the proposed HRL power station, for which we are hoping to get former BLF leader Jack Munday (of NSW Green Bans renown) down from NSW.

Coming Up In April

Our next organising meeting is going to be on the 7th of April

Will a carbon price deliver renewable energy? - April 28

Speakers
Tony Maher - CFMEU National President
Dr Stuart Rosewarne -Dept Political Economy Sydney University
Patrick Hearps - Beyond Zero Emissions

6.30pm Thur April 28
New Council Chambers
Trades Hall
Corner Lygon & Victoria Sts Carlton

There will be light food, tea and coffee, available for donation

Please let us know if you are coming by registering here
http://carbonpriceforum.eventbrite.com/
(there is no need to print ticket we just want an idea of numbers)

Online Ticketing for Will a carbon price deliver renewable energy powered by Eventbrite

3. The national Climate Action Summit, is this weekend in Melbourne

There are two sessions about unions and climate-
Sat 4pm - 5.30 Campaigning for a safe climate future - working with unions
Panel discussion with Ged Kearney (ACTU President), Luke van der
Meulen (CFMEU Mining & Energy Division, Victoria) and Verity
Burgmann (co-author, Green Bans, Red Union: Environmental activism and
the NSW BLF) will discuss how climate activists can work with and in
unions to advocate for climate policy and action

Sunday 2pm - 3.30 How to get unions to fight for renewable energy?
Union Climate Action Network (Melbourne) will present a practical workshop to
discuss ways we can win unions to support and campaign for a transition to 100%
renewable energy. With Chris Breen (UCAN), Mark Ogge (BZE)

UCAN over the month of Feburary?

WILL A CARBON PRICE DELIVER RENEWABLE ENERGY?

Will a revenue neutral carbon price deliver more renewable energy? Will it raise the cost of power generation to the extent that new renewable will be installed? Will it result in a switch from coal to gas or just an increase on your energy bill. 

UCAN will be holding a public meeting to discuss this some time in April, time and venue are not yet finalized but this blog will be updated when everything is organised. 

Trades Hall Council quarterly meeting with Beyond Zero Emissions

BZE to be invited to address the May trades hall Council 
 

Next  UCAN Organising Meeting

When-> March 3 6pm


Where -> Street Address: Level 5, New Building, Victorian Trades Hall Council, cnr Victoria and Lygon Sts Carlton SouthS


 

Australia's postion on a carbon tax
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/australia-lags-trading-nations-on-carbon-price-20101018-16qvm.html

STATEMENT OF TRADE UNION CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE – SATURDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2010

This Conference of Victorian union activists and local climate activists

commends the report by Beyond Zero Emissions and Melbourne University’s Energy Research Centre. The report outlines a technically feasible and economically viable way for Australia to transition to 100% renewable energy within 10 years.

We are also mindful of the fact that economic restructure in the past has led to many sacrifices by working people. In this transition it must not be workers and their communities that are forced to accept lower living standards and be disadvantaged.

This conference believes that ‘just transitions’ are required. Commitment from Government is needed to implement strong industry policy to develop and direct new industries for renewable energy, support the expansion of existing industries and the establishment of new industries particularly in the manufacturing sector.

One thing is clear – we cannot rely on the free market to support those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

We reject market based solutions like carbon pricing and instead call for regulation, and direct government investment in renewable energy, to really ensure the ‘polluters pay’ for the transition we need.

We are opposed to the proposed HRL coal fired power station. It undermines the concept of a just transition. This coal-fired power station will create very little employment and continues our reliance on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions. We instead urge government to support jobs rich renewable energy solutions as outlined by Beyond Zero Emissions.

We support the work of the Gippsland Trades and Labor Council (TLC) and Trade Unions representing workers in the Latrobe Valley who are demanding a regional development and assistance program to provide new jobs and the trainings for skills required for a strong and viable manufacturing sector with well paid union jobs into the future.

Substantial emissions reductions in the Victorian economy are achievable, but requires urgent government planning and immediate and long-term government commitment, including substantial government investment. We resolve to encourage in every way possible, both the Gillard government and the Victorian Government elected on 27 November 2010, to grasp the opportunity to provide leadership on what remains today ‘the moral issue of this generation’.