Push for green reps

The TUC has repeated its demand that any future Labour government should legislate to give new rights to unions to appoint environmental reps.

The call was made at a conference of 120 union green reps last month, which discussed a new TUC report on the business as well as the environmental case for unions working with management on green issues.

The report, which the TUC commissioned from the Labour Research Department, examined six case studies — three each in the public and private sectors. It showed that in all, six environmental impacts had been reduced and unions had been involved.

However, the extent of union involvement varied considerably, from playing a role in winning employees’ support, to driving the whole process.

TUC assistant general secretary Kay Carberry said that the environment was now “core union business”. She called for environmental reps to have rights to training, auditing and consultation similar to those available to safety reps.

www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/The_Union_Effect_Greening_The_Workplace_Covers_2014_All.pdf

http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2014/07/greening-the-workplace-is-core-union-business