More than 150 participants at the Alliance for
Sustainable Jobs and the Environment?s second annual
membership meeting, held April 7-8 in Portland,
augmented the web of labor and environmental allies
working together on our shared goals. On Saturday, the
first day of the meeting, skills and issue workshops
tackled topics such as the history and future of
direct action, using community media, and
understanding corporate agendas. A panel discussion
and workshop demystified the Free Trade Area of the
Americas (FTAA) and its effects on workers and natural
resources. Regional labor leaders also spoke on the
right to organize in the workplace, helping
environmental activists better understand the
challenges that unions face. Participants then divided
into regional groups and developed ?localized?
strategies to unite labor and environmental causes.
That evening we joined the Pi?eros y Campesinos Unidos
del Noroeste, a farmworkers? rights organization, for
dinner and a Pi?a cultural celebration.
Sunday?s Climate Change panel included The Heat Is On
author Ross Gelbspan, as well as Jane Perkins from the
AFL-CIO. After Board elections another panel discussed
the potential opportunities and environmental benefits
associated with forest and streambed restoration and
road removal work. The weekend closed with Working
Group meetings; a branch of the New Initiatives WG
resolved to focus on energy solutions.
Thanks to our Portland State University sponsors, the
Students for Unity and the fabulous food freaks at
Food Not Bombs.
In other news, Chris van Daalen completed a paper in
April for the New Initiatives Working Group on ?Taking
the High Road to Forest Restoration: A Quality Jobs
Approach.? It offers a common point of reference for a
new dialogue among industry, labor, and
environmentalists, and invites exploration of various
mutual interests. The paper was prepared through a
series of interviews with labor leaders,
community-based practitioners, and environmentalists
in Oregon, Washington, and California, combined with a
review of relevant literature and policy documents. C
In Solidarity,
Alliance for Sustainable Jobs and the Environment
1125 SE Madison Street, Suite 100-D
Portland, OR 97214
tel (503) 736-9777 fax (503) 736-9776
asje@asje.org
www.stopftaa.com www.asje.org
More Articles...
TOC for Forest & River News, Spring 2001