Pittsburgh, PA (September 23) -- AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka challenged the heads of state attending the G-20 conference to build a new economic order that protects the dignity of workers and the planet.
"The world cannot afford to continue with a globalization that works only for the very richest and leaves workers and the communities they live in behind," Trumka said at an event featuring former Vice President Al Gore and a broad coalition of environmental and union leaders.
"Together, the labor movement and the environmental movement are a fighting force for change. This is our time—time to let the powers gathered here this week know exactly what we want, and exactly what we won’t stand for. We want a clean energy economy that creates good jobs, and we want a safe and healthy planet," Trumka said.
"We need a new economic order that demands respect for both workers and the planet."
Trumka noted that Pittsburgh wasn’t revitalized by the type of globalization that exports jobs—Pittsburgh’s growth came despite, not because of, the big banks and global corporations. "In the real economy," Trumka said, "it takes workers with good, safe jobs to build a lasting prosperity. We can’t go back to business as usual, to the unfair economic system that caused our financial crisis."
