Unions welcome Government pledge to create 50,000 green jobs, apprentices and trainees

The commitment from the Federal Government today to create new 50,000 green jobs and training places is a positive response to both the impact of the global economic crisis and the challenge of climate change that will provide good job opportunities for working Australians, particularly young people, says the ACTU.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said the announcement by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in his opening address to the ALP national conference demonstrated a long-term vision to confront the double crunch of global warming and the economic downturn.

“We applaud the focus by the Prime Minister on employment, skills and particularly green jobs in his opening speech,” Ms Burrow said.

“In the current tough economic times the protection of jobs and incomes is our over-riding national priority. It is pleasing to see the Government continue to focus on this with today’s announcement.

“It is also reassuring that the Prime Minister has acknowledged our concerns that one of the only true benchmarks of economic recovery is jobs growth. On this measure, the economy has a long way to go before we can say the downturn is over.”

Ms Burrow said the commitment to create 50,000 new green jobs, trainees and apprenticeships will build on the earlier work by the Government to invest in energy efficiency for homes as part of its economic stimulus package. She said the investment would support young Australians who were being hit hard by the downturn, but urged the Government to also do more to retrain existing tradespeople for clean energy jobs.

“The Government’s commitment should be used to create a ready army of young Australians equipped with much-needed skills for the transition to a low-carbon economy.

“Australians cannot delay moving to a clean energy economy if we are to grab a share of the new global market that could create a million local jobs in rapidly developing industries like solar, water, wind, construction and recycling over the next few decades.

“But the other crucial pieces of the jigsaw are for the Government’s legislation for the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme to be passed by the Senate and the implementation of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET). In holding up the CPRS the Coalition parties are preventing the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in clean energy jobs.”

Union priorities at the 2009 ALP conference are the impact of the economic downturn on working families and the need to safeguard jobs and incomes for working families, equal rights for all workers and and end the coercive powers used against construction workers, and improved workplace health and safety standards.