The Trade Union Response to Climate Change Institute of Employment Rights 23/10/07 Caroline Molloy TUC Greenworkplaces Project Leader

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The Trade Union Response to Climate
ChangeInstitute of Employment Rights
23/10/07Caroline MolloyTUC Greenworkplaces
Project Leader
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Trade Unions Part of the Solution

• The power of collective action
• Organising members round area of growing concern
• Healthier workplaces cleaner communities
• Sustainable jobs rising energy costs
• Environmental justice, including justice between
  the generations, international angle, fuel
  poverty
• A just transition to a low carbon economy

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Greenworkplace project aims (1)

• Build capacity amongst union members to tackle
  climate change
• In 6 pilot workplaces
• Increase energy climate change awareness of
  union members (and potential members)
• Cut energy use CO2 emissions (actual and/or
  projected), changing behaviour and technical
  issues
• Identify and train environmental reps

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Aims (2)

• Give them space and structure to define the key
  issues and begin to tackle them
• Enable them to measure energy and carbon savings
• Build on existing Carbon Trust work
  implementation, behaviour vs capital investment
• Negotiate towards framework agreements

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Who were the key participants?

• Funded by the Carbon Trust
• Overseen by a steering group made up of TUSDAC
  members, chaired by Paul Noon
• 6 workplaces British Museum, TUC (London),
  DEFRA (York), Scottish Power, Corus
  (Wolverhampton), Friends Provident (4 sites)

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How did we set up the projects?

• Selected organisations
• Met union reps, officials and management
• Surveyed workforce
• Held open days/events with local groups
• 1 day training (plus half day follow up)
• Carried out energy audits
• Produced materials showed films
• Negotiated for bargaining structures

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Outcomes (1)

• The most interest weve ever had in a union
  event people were queuing 5 deep throughout.
  Friends Provident steward after lunchtime stall
• Management recognised importance of union
  involvement eg 25 of workforce attended BM
  event compared to 5 typical for management-led
  initiatives.
• Around 15 reps, mostly new, trained, and 100
  positive feedback from courses
• Facilities time achieved, reps able to get
  management to measure/report on carbon and energy
  for first time eg DEFRA

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Outcomes (2)

• TUC cut night time energy use in half, cut
  waste to landfill by 40, agreed new solar
  thermal system
• Audits undertaken by reps following training BM
  saved 7 of electricity use in 1 year, agreed new
  low carbon wing
• New bargaining structures (ie joint environmental
  committees) framework agreements established or
  worked towards,
• Links established between unions and local
  community groups (FOE etc)

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Lessons from the pilot projects (1)

• Huge organising potential for unions
• Union input vital to achieve green goals
• Most organisations can save 20 of energy with
  simple low cost measures behaviour change
• Need for early wins to sustain momentum

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Lessons from the pilot projects (2)

• Reps want to look at what the workplace does,
  not just how it does it
• Grassroots-initiated projects work best
• Need buy-in at all levels (organisation union)
• Other issues arise water, waste, transport
• Time off statutory rights for reps crucial
• Fair shares?

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Next steps (1)

• Sample surveys, how to run open days and
  further guidance for environment reps available
  on website www.sustainableworkplace.co.uk
• Unions Environment courses eg South Thames
  College 14-16 November, Darlington 6-8 December,
  Exeter 19th Feb 2008 online course to be
  launched at end of the year
• UMF support for further 10-15 projects starting
  January 2008

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Next steps (2)

• Issues that can be part of an environmental
  agreement negotiating rights and facilities
  time, travel plans, health and safety especially
  around workplace temperature, working time, new
  technology, relocation, catering, and much more
• Seminars for officers Spring 2008
• Branch remits motions esp. on union internal
  policies, environment reps rights
• Join environment reps discussion at
  www.unionreps.org.uk
• Contact cmolloy_at_tuc.org.uk