JOHANNESBURG - Several trade unions highlighted that job security should be at the centre of the Just Energy Transition.
The country's four biggest federations — the Congress of South African Trade Unions , the Federation of Unions of South Africa , the National Council of Trade Unions , and the South African Federation of Trade Unions — subsequently launched the Just Transition Research Centre. The centre is set to provide technical expertise on the country's transition from fossils to renewables.The centre will be housed at the Research Institute for Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies.
The director at the institute, Saul Levin, said the transition to a low-carbon society also offers the government and private businesses an opportunity to re-skill workers. "Part of the reason why the unions have gotten involved in this is to better understand what the risks and where the opportunities are, and also to make sure there is an evidence base so that going into negotiations with employers or government, there is a base where worker representatives can start negotiating from."