The Victorian union movement has launched a new report, Putting the ‘Justice’ in ‘Just Transition’: Tackling Inequality in the Renewable Economy, which calls for the establishment of an Energy Transition Authority to coordinate renewable energy projects to achieve both emissions reduction and positive social outcomes. It argues that offshore wind power is more viable in Australia than it has been in the past, and proposes the Star of the South project as a pilot for the development of a just transition master plan: “Unfortunately, the history in Australia is that industrial transitions have increased inequality, with only one half to one third of displaced workers finding equivalent employment. The Star of the South offshore wind project in Victoria is an important opportunity to implement a just transition focussed on the creation of good secure union jobs, and to provide direct transition opportunities for workers in high-emissions industries.” The central pillars they propose are a job guarantee backed by a commitment to local procurement and decent working conditions, support for skills training including minimum apprenticeship ratios, investment in infrastructure needs, and engagement with local communities.
8 November 2019