A survey released this week by the Labour Research Department shows that of the 1,300 people questioned, the biggest stumbling block was fitting in their work as an activist with their paid employment.
 
Andy Moss from the South West TUC’s pioneering Green Workplaces Project, said: “Despite the economic downturn there is tremendous enthusiasm amongst trade unionists for taking on the climate challenge in the workplace and making it central to economic recovery.”
 
The TUC argues unions have a proven ability to deliver progressive change on working conditions, safety and equality thanks, in part, to their having time off from work to carry out their union duties.
 
Andy Moss said: “Union reps are vital catalysts to ensure that low carbon measures are implemented across thousands of workplaces and our effectiveness would be greatly strengthened with the provision of some basic legal entitlements — particularly to time off for training, and some basic facilities.”
 
The LRD survey shows only a minority of union reps were able to access an environmental training course, while three-quarters said they did not have facility time for environmental work.
 
Andy Moss said: “Union reps need the support of some basic legal rights to act on climate change at work; they represent colossal untapped potential, which should be unleashed.
 
“Workplaces burn energy, consume resources and generate waste. They generate at least half of all carbon emissions and are therefore an obvious place to focus action.
 
“Trade unions already play a part in the Green revolution, but their contribution could be even bigger in the workplace if they were given a legally defined role.”
 
Earlier this summer, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (now Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) and the Confederation of British Industry recognised the effectiveness of environment reps in the joint report Reps in Action, which can be found at www.berr.gov.uk

Unions and climate change – the case for union environment reps (LRD Survey, June 2009) http://www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=BK

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