How Social Dialogue can drive Just Transitions in the coffee and horticulture sector in Ethiopia - Hawassa

On 24 October 2024, FES Ethiopia and the CETU regional office hosted a workshop in Hawassa, bringing together unionists from the coffee and horticulture sectors to discuss the pressing challenges posed by climate change and explore strategies for implementing a Just Transition in their industries.

The workshop provided a platform for participants to delve into how climate change is already affecting their daily work. From crop failures on coffee farms to unpredictable rain patterns disrupting planting and harvesting schedules, the impacts are severe and far-reaching. These issues were central to the discussions, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

Participants were introduced to the concept of Just Transition, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring that workers and communities are not left behind as industries shift toward more sustainable practices. Unionists learned how a fair and inclusive approach to transitioning to a green economy can address environmental, social, and economic challenges while protecting workers' rights.

A key focus of the workshop was the role of social dialogue in implementing Just Transition. Here, workers, employers, and often the government engage in open discussions to address workplace issues like health risks, gender equity, and human rights, creating a fair working environment that protects rights and promotes environmental sustainability. Drawing on their positive experiences with social dialogue—such as negotiating higher wages and improving access to protective gear for handling pesticides—unionists explored how these strategies could be used to achieve fairer outcomes in the face of climate change.

Participants of the workshop expressed their appreciation of the new input received during the training workshop, but recognized that the discussion also made clear how many more challenges still remain.