Unions for Climate Action! | Payton M. Wilkins | TED

譯者: William Choi 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

Fossil fuels have got to go.

我們必須停止使用化石燃料，

We must put an end to these climate-destructive, loosely regulated,

我們必須結束這些引起氣候變化、監管鬆散、卑劣的、

dirty businesses that are destroying the Earth.

導致地球毀滅的企業。

We've done the math,

我們計算過，

we have the data,

我們有數據，

and we know that these dirty businesses

我們知道這些卑劣的企業

are making it increasingly more uninhabitable on this planet.

使地球變得越來越不適合人類居住。

But when those jobs go away, there'll be green jobs, right?

但當這些工作消失時， 就會出現綠色就業機會，對嗎？

Again, we've run the numbers, we have the data

再說一次，我們計算過數字，我們有數據，

and we know that the more we invest in a green economy,

我們知道，我們對綠色經濟的投資越多，

the more jobs there’ll be:

就會有更多的就業機會：

[more] healthier, higher-paying jobs in the future than there are today.

未來比現在有更健康、更高薪的就業機會。

But here's the thing.

但事情是這樣的。

People eat bread, not data.

人類吃的是麵包，不是數據。

And when a corporation shuts down a coal mine,

當一家公司關閉煤礦時，

as happy as some of us may be about cleaner air,

儘管我們一些人對更乾淨的空氣感到高興，

the reality is that people lose paychecks,

但現實是工人丟了工作，

they lose pensions,

失去了退休金，

they lose jobs that they thought were going to be there for their children.

失去了他們以為可以留給子女的工作。

Schools close, small businesses shutter,

學校關閉，小企業倒閉，

and homes are lost.

家園被毁。

Poverty sets in.

工人開始出現貧困。

There are no green jobs waiting for those folks.

沒有綠色就業機會在等待這些工人。

Shutting down a coal mine,

關閉煤礦、

a coal refinery or most polluting facilities

煉煤廠或污染最嚴重的設施

can devastate a community and a family.

或會破壞社區和家庭。

At the end of the day,

歸根究底，

I'm not so much a tree hugger as I am a people hugger.

與其說我是個環保主義者，不如說我是喜歡擁抱的人。

And I don't really believe in this dichotomy

我真的不相信工作與環境

of jobs versus the environment.

這種二分法。

We can protect both.

我們可以同時保護兩者。

But we're not going to get it right if we just helicopter in

但如果我們就像坐在直升機上， 告訴大眾什麼是對的，

and tell people what's right.

我們就不可能把事情做好。

That's where unions come in.

這就是工會發揮作用的地方。

Unions for generations have been fighting to protect workers' rights and justice.

工會幾代以來一直為保護工人的權利和正義而奮鬥。

I grew up hearing people speak about justice all the time.

我從小就聽到其他人談論正義。

My mom started the first environmental justice organization here in Detroit.

我媽在底特律創辦了第一家環境正義組織，

Yes, Donele Wilkins, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice.

多內爾·威爾金斯，為環境正義努力的底特律人。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

She started the first environmental justice organization

她在底特律市創辦了

here in the city of Detroit,

第一家環境正義組織，

and yet, I still didn't truly understand the intricacies of workers

然而，我仍然沒法真正理解工人

and the environmental movement

和環境運動的複雜性，

until I was sitting offstage, listening to a heated back and forth

直到我坐在台下，

between a high-ranking member of the United Mine Workers of America

聽到美國聯合礦業勞工協會的一位高級職員

and a panel of climate experts that I had assembled

與我為黑人工會成員聯盟年度大會召集的

for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists's Annual Convention.

氣候專家小組之間的激烈爭論。

On this panel, I had Cecil Corbin-Mark, the late Cecil Corbin-Mark,

在這小組中，我邀請了塞西爾·科爾賓-馬克，已故的馬克，

deputy director of WE ACT, an Environmental Justice Organization,

他是環境正義組織 WE ACT 的副主任，

based out of Harlem;

組織位於哈萊姆；

Jackie Patterson,

傑基·帕特森，

the founder and director of the Shirley Chisholm Legacy Project,

他是雪莉·奇澤姆遺產計畫的創始人兼主任，

a climate justice resource hub;

這是一所氣候正義資源中心；

and Donele Wilkins, CEO of Green Door Initiative,

還有綠門倡議執行長多內爾·威爾金斯，

who also happens to be my mother.

她也恰好是我的母親。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

I thought everything was going well.

我以為一切都很順利。

I thought that regardless of politics,

我認為，無論在政見上的不同，

we all kind of agreed that climate change was a problem for human health,

我們都會同意氣候變遷對人類健康、

for our families, for our homes.

我們的家庭和我們的家園構成問題。

So there I was, sitting in the first row, Cecil was moderating,

我坐在第一排，塞西爾主持會議，

and then this high-ranking leader from the United Mine Workers of America

然後這位來自美國聯合礦業勞工協會的高級主管

comes to the mic.

走到了麥克風前，

And shit got heated.

爭論變得激烈。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Like, really bad.

真的很糟糕。

I'm talking at this point, I'm flushed red,

說到這裡，我臉紅了，

sweat is beading down my face,

汗水從臉上流下來，

and I'm thinking how best to update my resume

我在想如何最好地更新我的簡歷，

because they're not going to let me keep my job after this shit.

因為在這次爭論之後，他們會辭退我。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I look to my boss and he has this look on his face that says,

我看著老闆，他臉上的表情就像在說：

"Get your ass on stage."

「快上台吧。」

That's a lot to say in the book, but I promise you this look said a lot.

這本書中有很多話可以說， 但我向你保證，這表情已經說了很多。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

When the panel ended, my boss pulled me aside and he said,

當小組討論結束時，老闆把我拉到一邊，他說：

"You need to fix this."

「你需要解決這問題。」

So I quickly secured a room to have a private conversation

因此，我很快就找到了一間空房，

with the mineworkers and the panelists,

與礦工和小組成員進行私人對話，

and we listened.

我們細心聆聽。

We heard the coal miners talk about their desires,

我們聽到煤礦工人談論他們的期望、

their fears, their legacies, this dignity in their work.

他們的恐懼、他們的傳統以及他們工作中的尊嚴。

And we talked about the real reason why the coal industry was dying,

我們討論了煤炭產業消亡的真正原因，

which had more to do with profitability than it did with activists or policy.

這與盈利能力有關，而不是與社會運動者或政策。

Coal is becoming more expensive

煤炭變得越來越貴，

while the cost of renewable energy is falling.

而再生能源的成本卻在下降。

Investors are divesting from coal because of its impact on the climate

由於煤炭對氣候的影響以及與氣候變遷相關的風險，

and the risk associated with climate change.

投資者正在自煤炭產業撤資。

We all felt heard.

我們都感到被聽見了。

We felt understood.

我們都感到被理解了。

The coal miners had opportunity to separate the person

煤礦工人有機會將問題與人

from the problem.

區分開來。

We talked about the history of environmental justice

我們討論了環境正義的歷史

and its roots in the labor movement.

及其在勞工運動中的根源。

Since that day,

從那天起，

and the months and years following,

以及接下來的幾個月和幾年，

I started to see change in the coal miners.

我開始看到煤礦工人的轉變。

They, for a long time, have been actively [in] opposition

長期以來，他們一直積極反對

to any types of climate policy.

任何類型的氣候政策。

But now they're open to exploring taxes

但現在他們願意探討

稅收和排放標準對他們行業的規範。

and emission standards to regulate their industry.

And while they aren't exactly where I would like them to be,

雖然他們並不完全符合我期望的樣子，

they have come a long way, they've made progress.

但他們走了很遠，他們已經進步了。

Unions have a long history of keeping the needs

工會在牢記工人的需求

and priorities of workers in their mind,

和優先事項、保護工人權利和爭取正義方面

protecting workers rights and fighting for justice.

有著悠久的歷史。

In Memphis, 1968,

在 1968 年，

a union of sanitation workers went on strike

兩名非裔美國人在孟菲斯

after two African Americans had been crushed

被一輛故障垃圾車壓死後，

in a malfunctioning garbage truck.

環衛工人工會舉行了罷工。

That strike ended in April of 1968,

那次罷工於 1968 年 4 月結束，

when the city of Memphis agreed to recognize their union

孟菲斯市同意承認工會，

and to meet the workers' demands.

並滿足工人的要求。

In South Africa in 1985,

1985年在南非，

the Congress of South African Trade Unionists

南非工會大會

quickly became the strongest and most powerful union in South Africa

透過抗議、抵制和罷工向種族隔離政府施加壓力，

by putting pressure on the apartheid government through protests,

促成了 1990 年的談判

boycotts and strikes

和 1994 年種族隔離的結束，

that led to negotiations in 1990

迅速成為南非最強大

and the end of apartheid in 1994.

和最有影響力的工會。

And in Denmark,

而在丹麥，

when the country was transitioning away from fossil fuels to wind energy,

當該國從化石燃料逐步轉用風能時，

the union 3F negotiated with the government

工會 3F 曾與政府

and wind energy companies to secure jobs,

和風能公司進行談判，

retraining programs and fair wages.

以確保工人得到就業、再培訓計劃和公平工資。

Those workers were equipped to get employed

這些工人具備能力

in this new and growing wind energy sector.

在這新興且不斷發展的風能產業就業。

Those workers were equipped.

那些工人已經做好準備。

You know,

你知道，

the union movement is the only multigenerational, multiethnic,

工會運動屬於世界上唯一橫跨多世代、多民族、

multiracial, multigender movement in the world.

多種族、多性別的運動。

We're talking about tens of millions of people

我們談論的是數以千萬計的工人

united around a singular set of ideas.

按照特定理念志願結社。

So it makes so much sense that they're a part of this fight

因此，他們參與爭取公正的過渡

for a just transition.

是非常有意義的。

So how can we,

那麼，我們這些

those of us that are in the climate fight, properly work with unions?

參與遏制氣候變遷的如何與工會正常合作呢？

It starts with deep listening conversations,

從細心聆聽對話開始，

like the ones we had at CBTU's annual convention.

就像我們在 CBTU 年會的對話一樣。

And workers and those who are pushing for a green energy transition

而工人和那些推動綠色能源轉型的人士

need to hear each other out.

需要互相傾聽。

We need to hear each other's fears, each other's desires,

我們需要聆聽彼此的恐懼、彼此的願望、

each other's ideas for the future.

彼此對未來的想法。

There needs to be an education on both sides,

雙方都需要接受教育，

one that allows us to learn about the livelihood of workers

讓我們了解工人的生計，

and for all of us to learn about the impact of the climate crisis.

讓我們所有人了解氣候危機的影響。

Since that conversation that I had at CBTU,

自從我在 CBTU 那次對話以來，

I started to actively invite the coal miners to meetings

我開始積極邀請煤礦工人參與我在場的會談，

and to the conferences that I attend discussing just transition.

參與討論公正過渡的會議。

My desire is for them to articulate a path towards green jobs

我的願望是讓他們在負盈利和政策決定其命運之前，

before negative profitability and policies decides the fate for them.

表達清楚一條通往綠色就業的路。

I want unions to secure federal dollars

我希望工會能夠獲得聯邦資金

to aid in this transition to retrain their members.

幫助這項過渡，以重新培訓工會的成員。

I want them to realize they don't have to choose

我希望他們意識到，他們不必

between making a living and living in a safe and healthy environment.

在謀生和在安全健康的環境中謀生之間做出選擇。

They can have both.

他們可以兩者兼得。

Hell, they deserve both.

他們值得兩者兼得。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

I want them to realize that they can live in a community

我希望他們意識到，他們可以生活在

that generates renewable energy,

產生再生能源的社區，

that they can live in a community where they don't have to speculate

他們可以生活在

what's in their water and their air.

不必猜測水和空氣中的成分的社區。

A community where people are valued over pollution.

在這社區裡，人類的價值比因污染帶來的經濟效益更重要。

I want them -- thank you.

我想要他們—謝謝。

(Laughs)

（笑）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

I want them to realize that this isn't some distant utopic future,

我希望他們意識到，這不是遙遠的烏托邦未來，

but a reality that can be had in a few short years.

而是在短短幾年內就能實現。

If the US government can bail out banks and the auto industry,

如果美國政府能夠像2008年金融危機時

like they did in the financial crisis of 2008,

救助銀行和汽車業，

surely they can bail out the American worker.

那麼也肯定能救助美國工人。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

But I have a feeling that this isn't going to happen

但我有一種感覺，如果沒有工會的齊心協力，

without a concerted push from the unions.

這一切就不會發生。

To transition to a green-energy economy,

為了過渡到綠色能源經濟，

to protect our planet,

為了保護我們的地球，

we're going to have to make some tough changes.

我們必須做出一些艱難的改變。

But I'm a serial optimist,

但我持續樂觀，

and I believe we can make this change without too much pain.

我相信我們可以在沒有太多痛苦的情況下做出這改變。

Thank you.

謝謝大家

(Applause)

（掌聲）