Navigating coal transitions in Germany and India: the role of trade unions and their power resources

Abstract As global coal transitions intensify, their social consequences are increasingly felt by workers and communities whose livelihoods are intertwined with fossil fuels. In response, the concept of just transitions emerged as a framework which seeks to establish a socio-economic support system for affected workers, promote economic diversification, and ensure inclusive, participatory decision-making. This paper explores the role of trade unions in shaping just transitions, focusing on the experiences of Germany and India. Drawing on the power resources approach, which categorizes union power into structural, institutional, associational, and societal dimensions, the study examines how German unions such as IG Bergbau, Chemie, Energie successfully leveraged these resources to secure robust social protections during coal phase-out. Based on in-depth interviews, grievance documents and secondary literature, the paper then assesses the current status and potential of Indian coal unions to do the same. While deeply embedded in local economies, Indian unions remain marginal to formal transition planning. However, this moment presents a critical opportunity for Indian unions, to rebuild structural and associational power by organizing informal coal workers and engaging with workers in emerging clean energy sectors. The unions can revive institutional power by strategically leveraging their longstanding ties with political parties and representation in tripartite bodies. By embracing social-movement unionism, unions can broaden their agenda to push for social protection and sustainable economic diversification beyond the factory floor. This study contributes to the literature on labor and energy transitions by outlining pathways for union-led, inclusive transitions in emerging economies.