LRD guides and handbook September 2019

Union action on climate change - a trade union guide

Introduction

Introduction [pages 4-5] (886 words)

Trade unions have a long and proud tradition of taking and demanding action on the environment, but in recent years it has not always easy for them ...
Open access

Chapter 1

1. Climate change and Just Transition [ch 1: page 6] (172 words)

University and college union UCU points out that: “There is now a scientific consensus that unless carbon-based energy use is radically reduced, ...
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The Paris Agreement [ch 1: pages 6-7] (200 words)

The IPCC special report on climate change [ch 1: page 7] (176 words)

The consequences of climate change today [ch 1: pages 7-8] (314 words)

Climate change and Just Transition [ch 1: page 8] (165 words)

What is Just Transition? [ch 1: page 8] (270 words)

The development of TUC policy on Just Transition [ch 1: page 9] (324 words)

Just Transition to a greener, fairer economy [ch 1: pages 9-11] (831 words)

Union policies on Just Transition [ch 1: pages 11-12] (558 words)

International examples [ch 1: pages 12-13] (249 words)

Scottish Just Transition Partnership and Commission [ch 1: pages 13-14] (577 words)

TUC Yorkshire and Humberside Low Carbon Task Force [ch 1: pages 14-16] (608 words)

Government policy and (in)action [ch 1: pages 16-17] (691 words)

Industrial strategy [ch 1: pages 17-18] (239 words)

Clean Growth Strategy [ch 1: page 18] (325 words)

Labour’s Green New Deal [ch 1: page 19] (197 words)

Chapter 2

2. Green union reps [ch 2: page 20] (133 words)

Trade union green or environmental reps (UERs) are important because over half of carbon emissions are work-related. Organisations have a vitally ...
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The role of the environmental or green rep [ch 2: pages 20-21] (475 words)

Green rep networks [ch 2: page 21] (148 words)

A green reps’ handbook [ch 2: pages 22-23] (482 words)

Green newsletters [ch 2: page 23] (335 words)

Green rep training [ch 2: page 24] (315 words)

Guidance on workplace environmental audits and workplace environmental action plans [ch 2: pages 24-25] (301 words)

Bargaining guidance for green reps and other negotiators [ch 2: page 25] (102 words)

Carbon management plans [ch 2: pages 25-26] (406 words)

Green bargaining case studies [ch 2: page 26] (126 words)

TUC Greening the workplace case studies [ch 2: pages 27-28] (639 words)

A workplace environmental sustainability agreement [ch 2: pages 28-29] (429 words)

Examples of union workplace action [ch 2: pages 29-32] (918 words)

Green action days [ch 2: page 31] (182 words)

Campaign for environmental rights for green reps [ch 2: pages 32-33] (294 words)

International examples [ch 2: page 33] (148 words)

Environmental law [ch 2: pages 33-34] (407 words)

Government proposals for future environmental laws [ch 2: pages 34-35] (701 words)

Health and safety law [ch 2: page 36] (55 words)

Safety reps’ rights [ch 2: page 36] (158 words)

COSHH [ch 2: pages 36-37] (236 words)

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 [ch 2: page 37] (124 words)

Problems with the law [ch 2: page 37] (171 words)

Chapter 3

3. Energy generation, efficiency and ownership [ch 3: page 38] (318 words)

In 2018, an estimated 27% of the UK’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were from energy supply, compared with 33% from the transport sector (see ...
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TUC energy policy [ch 3: page 38] (112 words)

Energy unions’ blueprint for moving to a low-carbon economy [ch 3: pages 39-40] (492 words)

Energy democracy, public ownership and climate change [ch 3: pages 40-41] (420 words)

Municipal energy companies [ch 3: page 41] (215 words)

UNISON’s proposals for bringing retail supply operations of the “Big Six” into public ownership [ch 3: pages 41-42] (646 words)

The lessons from natural gas conversion [ch 3: page 43] (172 words)

Investment [ch 3: pages 43-44] (587 words)

Broken promises on renewable energy jobs [ch 3: pages 44-45] (559 words)

Converting to hydrogen [ch 3: page 46] (326 words)

Carbon capture, storage and utilisation [ch 3: pages 46-47] (185 words)

Nuclear energy [ch 3: page 47] (465 words)

Energy efficiency [ch 3: pages 47-48] (188 words)

Union guidance for reps [ch 3: page 48] (274 words)

Union rep training [ch 3: pages 48-49] (90 words)

Divesting from fossil fuels in local government pension schemes [ch 3: pages 49-50] (421 words)

Fossil fuel divestment in universities [ch 3: page 50] (298 words)

Campaigning against fossil fuel company sponsorships [ch 3: pages 50-51] (240 words)

Fracking [ch 3: pages 51-52] (503 words)

Union reps in action [ch 3: page 52] (325 words)

Chapter 4

4. Transport, climate change and air pollution [ch 4: page 53] (70 words)

Transport is responsible for a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions (see page 38). The resolution adopted at the 2017 TUC Congress (see ...
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Bringing public transport into public ownership [ch 4: page 53] (203 words)

Railways [ch 4: pages 53-54] (291 words)

Rail freight [ch 4: page 54] (289 words)

Rail electrification [ch 4: pages 54-55] (247 words)

Bus services [ch 4: page 55] (253 words)

Taxis [ch 4: pages 55-56] (207 words)

Electric vehicles [ch 4: page 56] (345 words)

Aviation [ch 4: page 57] (195 words)

Shipping [ch 4: page 57] (210 words)

Trade Union Clean Air Network [ch 4: page 58] (337 words)

Diesel engine exhaust emissions [ch 4: pages 58-59] (572 words)

Union action on diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEEs) [ch 4: page 60] (326 words)

Guidance for reps on tackling air pollution [ch 4: pages 60-61] (429 words)

Training for reps [ch 4: pages 61-62] (212 words)

Canairy app — a resource for union reps in London [ch 4: page 62] (254 words)

Union campaigns for clean air [ch 4: pages 62-63] (515 words)

Promoting active travel [ch 4: pages 63-64] (181 words)

Union guidance on low-carbon travel and transport plans [ch 4: pages 64-65] (451 words)

Union reps in action [ch 4: pages 65-66] (601 words)

European laws [ch 4: page 66] (271 words)

Toxic cabin air [ch 4: page 66] (134 words)

Underground, overground [ch 4: page 67] (180 words)

The Trade Union Clean Air Network (TUCAN) charter [ch 4: pages 67-68] (298 words)

Government’s clean air strategy [ch 4: page 68] (255 words)

Chapter 5

5. Union action on other environmental issues [ch 5: pages 69-70] (689 words)

In May 2019, delegates at shopworkers’ union Usdaw’s annual conference called on food manufacturers to reduce unnecessary food waste. They also ...
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Union reps in action [ch 5: page 70] (173 words)

Protecting biodiversity and nature [ch 5: pages 70-71] (223 words)

Unite strategy — From plough to plate [ch 5: pages 71-72] (426 words)

Natural England campaign [ch 5: page 72] (211 words)

Pesticides [ch 5: pages 72-74] (604 words)

Adapting to climate change [ch 5: page 74] (140 words)

Hot weather and maximum workplace temperatures [ch 5: pages 74-75] (381 words)

Severe weather policies [ch 5: page 75] (221 words)

Chapter 6

6. Education, training, skills and apprenticeship policy (177 words)

The 2019 conference of the teachers’ union NEU agreed to “lobby the government to press them on plans to carry out their obligation under the ...
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Green skills [ch 6: page 76] (207 words)

The Greener Jobs Alliance 10-point plan for green skills [ch 6: pages 76-78] (932 words)

Further information

Further information [pages 79-80] (547 words)

Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) — focuses on the jobs and skills needed for a transition to a low carbon economy. Launched with funding from Battersea ...
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