To: UTS Vice Chancellor Attila Brungs

UTS Climate Strike

This campaign has ended.

We are writing to urge UTS to formally support the September 20 Global Climate Strike. UTS support was integral to a successful vibrant university staff and student contingent for the March 15 strike.

There are already groups of staff and students building for the action, DAB has already decided it will close down to allow staff and students to attend. We would like to see official support for all staff and students to be able to attend if they wish.

Specifically we urge you to:

1. Communicate to all staff and students that there will be no penalty for those attending the rally.

2. Urging and supporting work units to either close down between X and X on September 20 or otherwise make arrangements to cover for staff and students who wish to attend.

3. Allow staff who’s work unit has not made other arrangements to access Community Leave to attend.

Why is this important?

Transforming our destructive relationship with the environment requires the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs right across society. This includes, but also goes far beyond, rebuilding the electricity system for 100% renewable energy by 2030 under public ownership.

We stand with Indigenous people in struggles to protect their lands and waters from impending expansion of fossil fuel projects.

We stand with workers in fossil fuel industries and their communities facing insecure work and an uncertain future - there must be clear job guarantee from the government for all of these workers as the economy de-carbonises.

We stand against the vested corporate and political interests placing profits above the future of the planet. They have made enormous riches from destroying the earth - they must pay for the climate action we urgently need.

Here at UTS we have a particular responsibility and opportunity to play a leading role in the research, development and retraining that will be needed for the climate transition.