Cosatu: Jobs before environment
2011-12-08 22:43
Durban - The transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy should not be allowed to cause job losses, Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said on Thursday.
"We need a just transition which will not lead to job losses. We need a transition that will create jobs," he said.
Dlamini was speaking during a meeting organised for President Jacob Zuma to give feedback on a consultation session with civil society organisations.
It took place on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of Parties (Cop17) to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change in Durban.
Dlamini said the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) was worried that a move to renewable energy would bring about huge job losses.
"We believe that the transition will be very important. We need to defend the current jobs during the transition."
He said Cosatu was not happy that the next climate change talks would be held in Qatar, saying that country was notorious for being unsympathetic to workers' rights.
- SAPA
