WHEREAS:

            AFSCME members, as stewards of the environment, work daily to achieve a clean and healthy environment in their workplaces and in their communities; and

WHEREAS:

            AFSCME works in coalition with environmental and community groups to fight for cleaner air and water, stronger waste disposal standards, sound housing, and safer and healthier working environments; and

WHEREAS:

At the AFSCME National Environment Conference, Carol Browner, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, asked for AFSCME's help to "protest for the quality of life, the health of American citizens, and the health of our natural resources;" and

WHEREAS:

            Tougher environmental laws and regulations requiring new investments in state and local government infrastructure can represent new jobs for our members and can change the way we do our jobs and how we travel to work; and

WHEREAS:

            The fight for the environment is international in scope, involving unions around the world; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME continue to work with environmental and community organizations to fight at all levels and forums of government and in our workplaces for clean air and water) the safe disposal of wastes, waste reduction, environmentally sound energy and transportation policies, and policies reducing the use of toxic pesticides and other materials; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME support the strengthening of the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response and Compensation and Liability Act (Super Fund Act), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and other legislation to protect the environment; and that AFSCME lobby for legislation to set standards for indoor air quality to protect workers from such problems as "sick building" syndrome; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME continue to fight for increased federal aid to state and local governments for improvements in public works mandated by federal environmental laws and regulations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME support legislation to protect the economic security of public and private workers and their communities from any adverse effects of environmental policies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME work to elect politicians who recognize that Americans want a safer, healthier environment for today and, especially, for tomorrow so that our children can look forward to inheriting a cleaner and healthier planet; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME locals and councils challenge employers to conduct joint labor-management workplace green audits to insure environmentally sound procurement and work practices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME support increased technical and financial assistance by the United States and international lending organizations to less developed countries for environmental protection and environmentally sound development; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME continue to support the efforts of Public Services International and public sector unions throughout the world to educate citizens of every nation that a strong independent public sector is necessary to protect our earth's fragile environment against exploitation by private interests.

SUBMITTED BY:

George Popyack, International Vice President and
Director and Delegate
Virginia Diogio, President and Delegate
AFSCME Council 57
California

Jack Kenny, Vice President and Delegate
Laura Comstock, Delegate
AFSCME Local 2428, Council 57
California