Young workers from CEP attend national climate change gathering

OTTAWA, Oct. 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Young workers, members of CEP, are in Ottawa to attend the national Powershift gathering taking place this weekend. Hundreds of youth from across the country will converge to Ottawa to discuss ways to tackle the climate change crisis, end subsidies to oil companies and build a sustainable future for Canada.

"The young generation is composed of those people who will be most affected by the impacts of climate change in the future," said CEP National President Dave Coles. "Their efforts to turn the tide and build climate justice in Canada are crucial in today's world and we support them 100%."

Representatives of CEP's young workers committee will be attending to share the perspective of workers in the Canadian energy sector, including in the Alberta tar sands.

"Exploiting our natural resources at the current rate makes no sense: not for the environment and not for those people whose livelihoods come from the industry," added Coles. "It has become urgent to have an alternative vision for Canada: one that truly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and one that creates good jobs in our communities. It is possible!"

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is the largest union in several key sectors of Canada's economy, including forestry, energy, telecommunications and media. CEP represents some 35,000 members employed in oil and gas extraction, transportation, refining, and conversion in the petrochemical and plastics sectors, and 120,000 members in total.

SOURCE: COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND PAPERWORKERS UNION OF CANADA

Dave Coles, National President, [phone]
Roxanne Dubois, Communications officer, [phone]