Credit: jack_witek_photography
On 7th September 2025, Workers Planet brought together over 150 trade unionists, climate activists, and community organisers in Brighton to confront a shared challenge: how to ensure the climate transition works for the many, not the few.
Timed to coincide with the annual TUC Congress, Workers Planet was a one-day political education and strategy event focused on forging real alliances between labour and climate justice movements. Through panel discussions, workshops, and participatory sessions, the event built momentum for a working-class-led green transition—grounded in solidarity, equity, and grassroots power.
Why Workers Planet?
The climate crisis is not a distant or abstract threat—it’s already hitting the working class hardest, through rising energy bills, job insecurity, and housing inequality. Workers Planet was founded on the belief that any just transition must centre the voices, needs, and leadership of working people.
As one of the founding organisations Fuel Poverty Action was instrumental in making this event happen, alongside allies from GND Rising, Tipping Point UK, Campaign Against Climate Change, and the Climate Justice Coalition.
The event aimed to:
- Connect the dots between labour struggles and the climate crisis
- Build trust and alignment across unions, climate campaigners, and local organisers
- Move from rhetoric to concrete strategy
- Elevate working-class voices on issues of ownership, extraction, and inequality
- Foster lasting cross-sector collaboration
A Call to Action: Climate Justice Is Union Business
Ahead of the event, an open letter was launched, calling on trade unions at every level to confront the growing threat of climate misinformation and the far right.
Signed by a broad coalition of trade union branches, grassroots campaigns, and climate justice groups—including PCS Union, Fuel Poverty Action, GMB for a Green New Deal, Unite Grassroots Climate Justice Caucus, Equity for a GND, ACORN, and others—the letter sets out a clear agenda:
- Confront climate misinformation head-on and reject attempts to pit climate action against working-class interests
- Invest in accessible, grassroots political education that reaches workers wherever they are
- Build a visible alternative to far-right narratives, rooted in solidarity, fairness, and a liveable future
This message resonated throughout the day’s programme and will continue to guide our work going forward.
“The climate crisis is a working-class issue. It is already harming our jobs, health, homes, and communities. The labour movement must respond with clarity and courage—by leading on solutions, not defending the status quo.” —
Held at Brighton’s Old Courthouse, the venue hosted a dynamic programme of four core sessions:
1. The Climate Crisis Is a Working-Class Issue
Speakers from unions including Unite, GMB, and the Bakers’ Union, alongside Fuel Poverty Action and ACORN, made the case for why unions must be at the forefront of climate organising.
2. Intersectional Climate Justice: How to Deal with the Omnicrisis
This well-attended session, chaired by Zita Holbourne, explored the overlapping crises of racism, housing, health, and climate—featuring Zack Polanski and other frontline organisers.
3. Nowhere Else to Go? How Trade Unions Can Reshape Politics
Siân Berry MP, Josh Berlyne (Unite for a Workers’ Economy), Tanushka Mara and Jeremy Gilbert examined the positions of The Green Party, Labour and newcomer Your Party on how organised labour can push for systemic political change.
4. Pay Up: Who Should Pay for the Crisis—and How Can We Make Them?
With voices from UNISON, UCU, and Unite, this session tackled the question of cost: who is profiting from the crisis, and how do we redistribute power and resources?
Additional activities included:
- A CACCTU workshop on “Trade Union Year of Climate Action”
- Networking stalls and grassroots organising spaces
- An evening social with “Solidarity Bingo” to build informal connections and sustain energy
What’s Next?
Fuel Poverty Action and our allies are committed to building on the success of Workers Planet. Our next steps include:
- Developing accessible political education materials based on the day’s content
- Following up with attendees and volunteers—especially younger trade unionists
- Strengthening our volunteer coordination frameworks
- Embedding Workers Planet more firmly alongside future TUC Congresses
Workers Planet proved that it’s not only possible—but absolutely necessary—to bring the climate and labour movements together. At a time when misinformation and division threaten to stall progress, our response must be grounded in solidarity, truth, and working-class power.
