REPORT OF THE AFL ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

The past two years seemed to be a case of deja vu. For most of that time, the Committee struggled without a Chair, until the fall of 2002, when a member of Executive Council finally undertook the position. The Committee found it consisted mostly of new members, with only three members of the last Committee returning. The veteran members of the Committee would like to acknowledge the significant effort made by the new members to familiarize themselves with the information, history and issues the Committee was faced with.

Due to the reorganization of the Federation office following the temporary staffing cuts in 2001, the Committee found itself without its accustomed resource person on staff, thus necessitating a shift in work to members of the Committee. Research became a Committee function, which seemed to slow our work. Since the former Chair of the Committee represented the AFL on the Steering Committee of the Alberta Environment Network (AEN), the Committee had little interaction with other environmental agencies. This situation was resolved in June 2002 with the election of Brother Olenuk to the AEN Steering Committee at its Annual General Meeting. Subsequently, Brother Olenuk was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the AEN.

THE KYOTO ACCORD

Over the years, the AFL Environment Committee has often fought an uphill battle to get environmental issues discussed and debated by labour. The controversy surrounding the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in greenhouse gas emissions should have demonstrated that environmental issues cannot be separated from economic development, workplace health and safety and job issues. It is a clear example of how activities undertaken to provide a sustainable future for our children may profoundly affect our way of life and jobs. Most unions understood that "business as normal" is no longer an option. They saw the treaty as a necessity and one that could offer options for new jobs. They also knew that there could be some adverse effects; but to deal with that endorsed the CEP and the CLC's policy calling for a "Just Transition" to the new way of doing business.

With the ratification of the treaty complete, it is important to leave the name calling behind and address the issues the treaty now presents us. Resolutions will be presented to guide how labour should lobby for the workers' fair share of federal and provincial protections from the adverse effects of implementing the treaty. It is likely that the majority of the incoming Environment Committee's work will focus on mobilizing support for a "Just Transition"

WEB PAGE DEVELOPMENT

For some time the Committee has been discussing the advantages of having web pages on the AFL website dedicated to environmental issues. During this past term, the Committee all but finalized its proposed design for environmental web pages. We are awaiting the plans for the overhaul of the AFL website, which must begin before we can finalize this work. Hopefully, this is one task that can be completed early in the next term.

ONGOING WORK

With the reorganization of staff at the AFL, the Committee has undertaken a series of research projects to better familiarize themselves with environmental issues within the province. During one meeting, the Committee went to the City of Edmonton Cloverbar Waste Management facility. This highly informative tour, it is safe to say, totally revised the way we look at the issue of garbage. This site houses Edmonton's recycling facility and its world-class composter. The composting room is listed in the Guinness World Book of Records as the largest room in the world made entirely of stainless steel. It is equal in size to four football fields and can compost an entire day's organic refuse in less than a month. Both facilities were built as part of Edmonton's cost-saving plan to reduce the amount of waste sent to its landfill site by 50%. The entire facility is as much a research centre for new ways to recycle as it is a landfill. Garbage is looked upon as a resource for materials rather than a problem to be buried. Metal, plastic and paper are all sold to companies (like Alberta Steel and AT Plastics), thus generating revenue for the city that reduces the need for tax dollars. This facility has been visited and studied by waste management teams from over 90 countries around the world. It is a superb example of how addressing environmental concerns creates jobs and saves money. The City of Edmonton owns the patent on the design of the composter and is now selling it to other cities around the world that need to address their garbage problems in new innovative ways.

The incoming Committee will continue such work, visiting such facilities as the Tire Recycling Centre, glass and plastics recycling facilities, the boreal forest, industrial livestock operations, and a wind farm. We also hope to hear a presentation from the Alberta Environmental Network (AEN) concerning the environmental impact of seismic and cut lines in Alberta. This totally unregulated practice associated with economic development in the forestry and energy sectors cuts down almost as much timber per year as do the logging contracts given out by the province. The difference is that harvesting logs for pulp or timber occurs under provincial forestry management agreements which contain provisions for replacing trees. Trees of course play a crucial role in removing greenhouse gases from our atmosphere. Cutting seismic and cut lines require no such replacements, so none happen. The lines are left open thus disrupting wildlife populations in the area. This is an area where we must lobby heavily with many groups for provincial intervention.

THE NEXT MAJOR BATTLE

Late in its term, the Committee learned that Fording Coal plans to proceed with opening the Cheviot Mine near Hinton. This controversial open pit mine was the subject of widespread protest and litigation several years ago until the federal government ruled that the environmental impact assessment was insufficient. The new plan presents this mine as an extension of an existing mine, and the company takes the position that a new environmental impact assessment is not therefore necessary. Not surprisingly, the provincial government agrees. The AFL already has a policy that it supports the mine as long as adequate procedures and monitoring are in place to protect the future of the area's biodiversity. This mine has the potential to become the biggest struggle between business, government and environmental groups in the history of the province, with labour split between those who want the jobs and those who believe in a sustainable future. It will be a true test of the leadership of the Alberta Federation of Labour to find an acceptable middle ground where most sides can agree.
 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee,

AFL ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, 2001-2003

Nadine Kovacs, Chair                   PSAC 30129 Tom Olenuk, Secretary                 CUPW-Edm. Jo Chelick                                  PSAC 30025 Elwin Kalynchuk                             CUPE 474 Eric Rosendahl                                 CEP 855 Richard Slabysz                               CUPE 30 Len Steparyk                                        TWU Patrick Tort                                  UFCW 401 Kerry Barrett (ex-officio)                          AFL Les Steel (ex-officio)                               AFL

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