I guess the simple short answer is that if just transition programs are in place, workers are going to be much more enthusiastic about greening the economy. In just transition programs the basic idea is that with workers who would be affected because of changes in industry due to environmental improvements, or what have you, instead of being thrown out the door without any protection, they would be dealt with in a more just manner. They could be retrained, for example, and find work in greener and cleaner workplaces.
As far as greater participation, it gets back to what I was saying about the parallels between occupational health and safety law, and what is proposed in this bill. Because our members know they are protected or have certain rights granted to them by occupational health and safety law, their willingness to participate goes up. If they knew they had the same rights via this bill, I think their willingness to participate would increase.
I don't want to mislead people that the environment is precisely at the top of CUPE's agenda, but something like this that encourages greater citizen participation in environmental decision-making would only work to enhance how our members might participate in that process.
As I have said before, CUPE--both our organization and our members--looks beyond just wages and benefits to doing various things to improve our quality of life. That extends to improving environmental protection, the air we breathe in the atmosphere, and the rest of it.