Green Unions at Work 2012

Green Unions at Work 2012

The TUC is republishing Green Unions at Work 2012 in time for its annual Green Reps conference at Congress House on 11 July 2014.

Alongside this study, we will also publish online a new report, The Union effect: trade unions and greening the workplace.

Green Unions at Work 2012

Over 1,200 shop stewards and environmental reps took part in the TUC’s 2012 green workplaces survey.  In difficult circumstances, not least the effects of recession on public and private sectors alike, several findings stand out. It’s immensely encouraging that far more joint discussions are taking place at work on energy and resource issues since our last national green workplaces survey in 2009.  Unions are raising their game at work, organising more green newsletters, green days, film shows and websites than three years ago. And significantly more union proposals are being taken up by management, from installing solar panels to green travel schemes.

It’s obvious, too, that greening the workplace pays off, not just in environmental terms but also in business benefits.

This in turn, boosts job security. Serious joint initiatives are being developed and shared between employers and their workforce through the trade union, as in the Magor Brewery case study we review in this report. The brewery was using half as much energy and water to make its products, saving over £2 million on energy bills alone.

The report includes case studies and data on best practice in energy, resources, recycling, waste management and green travel plans.