The template requires social dialogue on restructuring and technological change, joint climate committees and protection from forced layoffs linked to climate or energy transitions. It also ensures income protection for affected workers and safeguards against heat stress and flooding, with commitment to bipartite environmental action.
Unions identified existing good practice agreements:
- Cambodia has set a 32-degree Celsius temperature working threshold
- A Philippine employer funds reskilling and upskilling with paid educational leave
- An Indonesian employer established a joint climate and transition forum
The template will now be rolled out regionally. Indonesia’s IndustriALL council will launch it with affiliates; the Philippines will integrate it into its CBA framework; Malaysia plans to refresh its collective bargaining agreements using the model. Participating unions committed to continued regional networking and CBA exchanges.
“Since IndustriALL published a trade union guide to just transition practice in 2022, we’ve made progress by implementing those recommendations,”
said Ramon Certeza, IndustriALL regional secretary for South East Asia.
“We’ll continue pushing governments to establish just transition institutes to ensure proper implementation.”