Include workers in climate decisions: trade unions

As the world prepares for the upcoming COP30, Bangladeshi labour rights bodies have urged the government to include worker representatives at every stage of climate-related decision-making.

They also called for a clear roadmap to ensure decent jobs and job security for workers in both the formal and informal sectors.

The demands were made at a press briefing at the National Press Club in Dhaka, organised by the National Alliance for Just Transition Bangladesh (NAJTB).

The platform of trade unions and labour right advocates called for a worker-centred climate action plan that guarantees decent work, social protection, and inclusion in policymaking.

Bangladesh, one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries, is already witnessing the livelihood impacts of floods, cyclones, and heatwaves, but workers' voices remain largely absent from national and global climate policies, as per a statement from NAJTB.

"Workers must have a voice in shaping policies that directly affect their jobs and lives," said Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, general secretary of the Bangladesh Labour Foundation.

The alliance placed 10 key demands, including the inclusion of workers at every stage of climate policymaking, from formulation and implementation to monitoring.

It called for a tripartite 'Just Transition Plan' involving the government, employers, and workers, focusing on job security, reskilling, income protection, and rehabilitation for displaced labourers.

The group also urged that climate finance, including the Loss and Damage Fund, prioritise affected workers through allocations for training, social safety nets, and livelihood support.

Gender equality was another major concern. The NAJTB called for a gender-sensitive budget to support women workers in climate-resilient sectors and to ensure equal pay, safe workplaces, and women's leadership in the green transition.

The alliance further proposed forming an independent national monitoring authority comprising representatives from the government, employers, civil society, and workers to ensure transparency and accountability in implementing 'Just Transition' policies.

It also called on high-emission countries to fulfil their financial and technological responsibilities towards climate-vulnerable nations like Bangladesh.