The purpose of the forum was to emphasize the role of unions and workers to take action in the climate crisis. A purpose completely in line with FH’s ambitions.
The forum was organized with leaders from different trade union confederations all over the world, who had the opportunity to share experiences amongst each other.
Lizette Risgaard was invited to speak about the Danish experience with a just transition. She highlighted the need for reskilling and upskilling of workers to combat the climate crisis and the current energy crisis as well.
Our proximity to the ocean has made it possible for Danish companies to invest heavily in offshore wind. But in order for those investments to pay off we have also had to invest in the reskilling and upskilling of workers. Allowing workers in the oil industry to shift to the offshore wind sector. In the years to come we need to speed up this transition even more
“Our proximity to the ocean has made it possible for Danish companies to invest heavily in offshore wind. But in order for those investments to pay off we have also had to invest in the reskilling and upskilling of workers. Allowing workers in the oil industry to shift to the offshore wind sector. In the years to come we need to speed up this transition even more.” – Lizette Risgaard, President in FH
A strong collaboration between Ørsted and American unions
At the forum Liz Shuler president of Americas Labor Movement (AFL-CIO) thanked FH and Lizette for the cooperation earlier this year with Ørsted and the American trade union NABTU (North America’s Building Trade Unions).
Earlier this year FH supported a cooperation between the Danish wind power company; Ørsted and NABTU. In May they finally reached a collective agreement between the company and the American Union – securing the rights of the American workers when Ørsted is enlarging their wind-power-business in the United States.
In a historic collective agreement, the American workers, who will be working on building the biggest wind-power-farms in America, have gotten not only a big raise in salary and generally better working conditions – but those who are also members of the labor union NABTU have the rights to reskilling and are secured apprenticeships.
This collective agreement will hopefully create inspiration and opportunity for even more American Unions to work for basic rights, and even more American Workers to realize the possibilities we can create when standing together as workers.