GreenWorkplaces News: December 2013

December 2013

Climate news

Unions unite in Warsaw walkout

On 21 November, trade unions from across the globe joined NGOs to stage a dramatic mass walkout at the Warsaw climate conference. 

Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, was among those leading the walkout:

“Science cannot be clearer, but, despite this, nations have again put self-interest and the short-term first.”

 “Climate change is real, is increasing in impact and will result in greater devastation, displacement, job loss and social despair if we don’t act…we cannot allow governments to go to climate talks with such unambitious mandates.” Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC.

Philip Pearson, TUC senior environmental policy officer in Warsaw says: 

“ My take was this: unions don’t walk out on talks until the job is done. It’s not our way. But the fact is we are witnessing deeply disunited nations at work. Staying in gives a false legitimacy to failing states,” Philip continues: “As with any breakdown in talks, we have to go back to our membership and communities to campaign some more, and urgently build and strengthen public support and commitment so that when governments meet again next year, they can be in no doubt where their obligations and responsibilities lie.”

That means campaigning for a fair, ambitious and binding climate treaty, where Just Transition is part of the settlement.  As things stand, the UN is in danger of turning its back on the millions who suffered Typhoon Haiyan, leaving the threat of climate change to future generations to handle.  

The trade union delegation left talks determined to crank up the campaign.

Sharon Burrow led the rallying call:

“We must tell our people what is happening. Despite the outcome, we leave Warsaw full of hope and with the belief that what happened here will galvanise global determination and thus serve as the foundation for a people-led climate movement.”

Experts more certain we are overheating our world

Global warming can be attributed with very high certainty to human emissions of greenhouse gases and other human influences, according to the first part of the latest update on climate change by a panel of scientific experts.

A summary for policymakers of the report by working group 1 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was published on 27 September. It deals with the physical science for climate change.

In an article on the summary, Anastasia Romanou of the NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies, says that unions must take the document seriously. This is because it emphasises that current emissions trends, driven by increasing use of fossil fuels, will lead to a world that is virtually uninhabitable in the lifetimes of children born today.

​

 (Source: presentation by Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice Chair of the IPCC, Brussels, Sept. 2013)

To give the world a 66% chance of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, the uppermost limit allowed before there are catastrophic effects on life on Earth, future emissions must be kept below 300-500 billion tonnes of carbon, she writes.

The IPCC summary says: "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, sea level has risen, and the concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased."

Arctic sea ice has fallen by around 40 per cent, while the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are also declining, it says.

"Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in all components of the climate system. Limiting climate change will require substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions,” the summary says.

Some scientists claim that the IPCC assessment is too conservative, says Romanou, because it has not considered extreme scenarios such as releases of the powerful greenhouse gas methane from the Arctic sea bed and the melting permafrost.  Methane is 20 times more potent than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Romanou warns that excluding this effect greatly underestimates future projections of warming.

Organising

New green reps gain facility time at Babcock International

Prospect green reps are leading the way at Babcock International as part of a Prospect green project at Devonport’s Royal Dockyard. 

Babcock is an engineering support services organisation covering defence, energy, telecommunications, transport and education. 

Working in conjunction with a ULR-funded project 11 new reps, with lead Prospect rep Natalie Dodd, organised a day of meeting company directors, business managers and industrial union reps. Natalie, who is implementation design and safety process manager, was able to ensure the day  included promoting the union voice and union commitment to the sustainability agenda.

This has led to the formation of an Environment Committee with time off for environment related duties. Terms of reference and a programme of work have been agreed in partnership with management and a trades union/company charter developed. Discussion has also included development of an environment module in apprenticeship and graduate schemes.

It is expected that the project will see yet another tranche of union members sign up for environmental rep training with a further 15 reps already on the waiting list!

Babcock International (Rosyth)

And it’s not just Devonport that can boast more green reps. At Babcock’s site at Rosyth, another six new environment reps have received training.  Recognition of reps and time off is agreed in principle by management.  Agreement has also been reached to set up an environment committee, initially as part of the current health and safety committee’s agenda.  As enthusiasm spreads, there are indications that a second wave of training for reps will need to be done in the near future.

Dr Tom Farnhill, project lead at Prospect, says: “Employers we have encountered are willing to subject their environmental and wider corporate and social responsibility policies to formal systems of employee relations.  Feedback received from employers suggests that they view the union as an important additional resource to encourage the behavioural change associated with certain pro-environmental practices. The workplace greening agenda appears to lend itself well to the partnership model of employee relations, characterised by trust, on-going dialogue and joint problem-solving activity.”

UCU reaches 150 environment reps

UCU has issued its annual environment report timed to coincide with the release of the IPCC’s latest report on climate change.  The report boasts of an impressive 150 environmental reps in place and reports a large increase in members willing to take on the role – approximately 50% in the last 18 months.

Despite difficulties in filling some branch posts, the report explains that environmental issues are a “growth area for union organisation”. UCU also describes how many of these new reps have not held a union position before and are attracted by the opportunity to be proactive on a wide range of issues.

The report also outlines that: “At a time of major challenges to the conditions of employment of staff, it is not easy to prioritise activity around sustainable development. Our view is that we can’t afford not to.”

UCU’s efforts to mainstream environmental work are evident, with the report calling for reps to link work on sustainability to recruitment, campaigns and jobs. UCU is urging all branches and associations to make environmental work an organising issue. A resolution passed at UCU’s annual congress this year called for sustainable development to become “a core organising principle”.

UCU head of further education, Barry Lovejoy, said: “The science has spoken and now we need action from governments to deliver an international agreement on how to prevent runaway climate change. The transition to a low-carbon economy is crucial in tackling the problem and it is our members who need proper support to provide the research and training to deliver this transition.”

Green growth no turning back

Over 200 delegates took part in the TUC's climate change conference, Green Growth: No Turning Back, on 21 October 2013. Sue Ferns, Head of Research at Prospect, opened the event outlining how the conference provided an important opportunity for reps to discuss the challenges faced not only by trade unions, but by industry and politicians in tackling climate change.

Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary, outlined three key priorities for trade unionists. Firstly, to win the argument with the public for change by taking on the “climate change doubters, deniers and ditherers.”Frances labeled the response to climate chaos, “climate complacency”.

Secondly, that the recovery had to be sustainable in every sense of the word, environmentally and economically. The TUC called on government to take the lead in facilitating green growth in the areas that need it most. These included development of a smart, active low-carbon industrial strategy, green apprenticeships and R&D, innovation and science. Ambitious investment for the future through a proper green bank and business investment bank is also essential. 

And thirdly, the need to up the campaign for a Just Transition, now made all the more urgent following the disappointing outcome in Warsaw. Frances remarked that the Coalition had turned out to be the “greenest government never”, but with the right policies and the right vision, “the new economy could be greener and fairer, with decent jobs at its heart.” 

Other speakers included Sir David King, former chief scientific advisor to the government, who spoke of the magnitude of the problem faced by government. King outlined that an investment of £1 - £1.5 billion each year will save the UK on average £7 for every £1 invested in repairing flood damage alone.

John Ashton spoke passionately on the need to

“make sure that a new British industrial policy is at the heart of a low carbon industrial policy for Europe, a policy that offers a prospect worth having to all.”

Julia Sling, Chief Scientist at the Met Office, provided an overview of climate change science. Perhaps the most harrowing statistic of the day being  that if warming due to human emissions is to be limited to 2˚C, the level at which catastrophic climate change kicks in, total emissions need to be limited to 1000 gigatonnes of carbon. To put these stats into perspective, about half of this has already been emitted. A sobering thought.

Will Straw, from the Institute for Public and Policy Research, called for the need to be more efficient in our usage and smarter in our production of energy, describing current government initiatives, such as the green deal, as a “shambles”.

To download a 10 minute video of keynote speeches and workshop presentations click here.  

GreenWorkplaces for a sustainable future

This year’s GreenWorkplaces workshop at the TUC climate change conference showcased the work of union green reps in the workplace.

Beverley Hall, Prospect environment and corporate social responsibility officer, spoke of the enthusiasm of environment reps at Babcock International in Devonport. The reps came together to identify areas where the union could engage on environmental issues. Identifying a lack of employee participation opened the door for talks between green reps and management, leading to recognition for green reps and an environmental charter being drawn up. A great success.

Chris Baugh, AGS at PCS, reported on the national consultation machinery in the public sector and the need for the trade union movement to continue lobbying for facility time for environment reps. He emphasised that this was crucial to carry out environmental audits in the same way that health and safety reps can conduct workplace audits. He also emphasised the importance of a union approach which sets out what the trade union movement is for, rather than focuses on what we are against. Chris cited the One Million Climate Jobs campaign as an alternative to the current dash for gas.

Graham Bowers, PCS rep at DEFRA, spoke about his experiences as an environmental rep. Graham  mentioned the difficulties that can be encountered when trying to carry out an environmental audit. The process became easier when PCS got involved and his workplace was put forward to take part in the Greening Government environmental audit pilot exercise. The audit has now been completed and will serve as a base line for future audits.

Kevin Rogers, UNITE environment rep at the Port of Felixstowe, has been leading on environmental issues. Kevin described how recycling rates have increased and water usage has been reduced by a third at the Port. Kevin went on to explain how setting realistic targets is key, stressing the importance of networking with other environment reps to share ideas and best practice.

Dom Anderson, NUS vice president, described how the NUS are encouraging student involvement in “Switch Off” campaigns, currently running in 54 universities. Dom also outlined the Student Green Fund which was awarded £5 million in funding from the Higher Education Council for England. The fund helps students’ unions develop proposals for ambitious projects to turn universities into hubs of sustainability within their wider communities.

Key messages from the Q&A session focused on the need to be positive in order to engage with both staff and management and the importance of getting the narrative right in order to win hearts and minds.

Green Skills Partnership – bringing unions and communities together

The Green Skills Partnership brings together unions, employers, local councils, environmental organisations, education providers, community groups and state agencies to deliver green skills training in construction, retrofit, horticulture and waste management.

The partnership has evolved from initial experimentation in East London, to successful piloting in South London, to a broad based partnership for the whole city that is now extending into the regions.

The partnership is co-ordinated by Unionlearn and brings together trade unions, (UCU, UCATT and Unite), London employers, voluntary sector organisations, local communities and Job Centre Plus to deliver sustainability training and employment opportunities.

“It’s about reaching out and giving everybody an opportunity to get involved in making a difference around environmental issues within their community” explains SERTUC senior union support officer Stuart Barber.

With Unionlearn leading the partnership the focus is on quality. Graham Parry, the youth, employment and skills director at environmental and social regeneration organisation Groundwork London, states that “Instead of being led by a partner with a vested interest in a contract or programme, we are led by an organisation with a vested interest in high-quality training and high-quality employment opportunities.”

The Green Skills Partnership has been identified as one of 20 significant practices across the European Union, and has presented its work to the Skills Needs for Greener Economies conference in Brussels in October.

Europe: Young, union and green

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) launched its latest report on greening the workplace at a conference in Brussels in September.  Set against a backdrop of increasing youth unemployment, the report focuses on whether trade unions across Europe are combining their work on youth unemployment with action on climate change and energy issues. The report found that there is much work still to do.

The conference boasted an impressive line-up of speakers including Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice Chair of the IPCC who outlined the latest IPCC report and UCU’s Graham Petersen who highlighted  UCU’s environmental work. Presentations from all the contributors can be downloaded from the ETUC website.

Engaging Young Workers

Simonas Gausas, from Visionary Analytics, took us through the study’s findings. Gausas outlined how trade unions can play an important role by making use of workers’ skills and knowledge to transform industries and services, and by linking agendas around green jobs with union work programmes.  Unite’s green workplace project at Magor brewery in Wales was held up as an example of best practice in engaging the workforce to transform production processes. 

Gaušas said that the study showed the need for unions in Europe to change the way they organise, by expanding their work to cover environmental issues in addition to more traditional forms of union activity. This would attract and mobilise new and young workers.

More intensive union training will be needed, said Gausas to build members’ confidence in organising around environmental issues.

The report emphasises the importance of trade union initiatives aimed at providing training and job placements and found that trade unions are adopting different approaches to deal with green job placements. The Confederation of Workers Commissions holds trade union summer camps for young members while the Green Skills Partnership for London’s approach of building partnerships between unions, employers, skills providers and community representatives helps deliver training and job opportunities.

However, the survey uncovered more union projects focusing on developing green skills for young workers than on finding job placements. Gausas said that there was considerable scope for unions to work together with partners to smooth the transition for young workers, particularly in carbon-intensive sectors. Union organising can also be boosted by increasing efforts to recruit workers in emerging industries. 

The survey also found that while half of the unions surveyed took a pro-active role in promoting sustainability beyond their workplace, this work needed to be promoted more between unions. More potential exists too for those union departments working on youth issues and those focusing on environmental issues to work together. Sustainability issues need to be mainstreamed into union education and training and more links built between environmental union action and policy initiatives such as the Youth Guarantee.

The report recommends more ambitious greening projects that directly involve young workers in designing new ways of working. It also recommends greater engagement with employers and alliances with other organisations designed to address both youth unemployment while tackling environmental issues.

The potential to up the ante exists. What is needed, as Gausas points out, are more resources. And critically in the UK, the legal right for union reps to carry out work on green issues. 

Why should young trade unionists care about climate change?

Sean Sweeney from the Cornell Global Labor Institute in New York, speaking at the ETUC’s Young, Union and Green” conference gave us his own take on why young trade unionists should care about climate change.

Sean made it clear right at the start that young trade unionists already care about climate change. The results of the ETUC study “Young, Union, Green” show however, that it is not their main concern and  Sean argues that changing how we frame our discussions on climate change is critical to bringing young workers on board and getting young people active in the union movement. 

Sean outlined two major challenges unions face today – how to make climate change a core union issue and whether the present economic system has the capacity to transform itself in readiness for a Just Transition.

Sean called for a fundamental change in how we talk about climate change. He called for trade unions to reframe discussions away from green jobs and to a discussion on the radical restructuring of our economy in a way that values resources that can’t be priced and brings privatised services into the public realm. He argued that campaigning on environmental issues was “the most powerful weapon trade unions have ever had against equality and injustice.”

Sean felt public opinion was beginning to change too. He explained that with the growing number of extreme weather events in the US for instance, and the high profile protests against tar sands, Americans were becoming more aware of the fight against climate change. Sean also argued that people were increasingly grasping the role that large corporations and the fossil fuel industry have in protecting the status quo.

In the US, in the past two years alone, the country has seen the worst heat waves in its history, droughts, and wildfires. This summer wildfires claimed the lives of 19 fire-fighters, all union members. And of course, there was Hurricane Sandy. Two thirds of Americans now favour stricter emission limits on power plants, and 79% of young voters are inclined to vote for a candidate that makes climate change a priority. Perhaps surprisingly, a quarter of Americans in a recent public opinion poll also support non violent civil disobedience against acts that make global warming worse. One in eight is willing to personally participate.

Sean highlighted that young people were moved to action by hope and empathy, values at the very core of trade unionism: “We need to offer them hope for the future....climate change is not a problem for the next generation, it is a problem for the here and now.” And crucially, Sean insisted that “older union leaders cannot pass this responsibility on to the shoulders of emerging young leaders....the next ten years are crucial”.

Sean sees unions as agents for change saying that “this is how unions can connect with young people and bring them into our movement.”

Policy

Public demand answers on energy shambles

by Philip Pearson

Sixty-eight per cent of the public, including 52% of Conservatives, want energy companies run in the public sector. These are the results from a recent YouGov survey.

If affordable, secure and low carbon energy is the aim, then the latest shambles include:

• Big Six energy firms accused of profiteering, after their profits per customer last year rose by 77% – from £30 in 2011 to £53 per household.

• The European Commission’s head of energy research telling MEPs yesterday that there was “no business case for carbon capture technology in Europe today” because of the collapse in the market price of carbon.

• RWE cancelling a £4bn wind turbine project in the Bristol Channel because the economics do not stack up.

• And reports that fuel poverty levels and Excess Winter Deaths are lower in Sweden despite they have much longer, colder winters.

The question isn’t whether there should be energy market reform, but how radical should it be?

Dieter Helm’s advice for Labour on energy markets argued that nationalisation was a “politically contaminated” concept. He stepped neatly away and proposed instead a powerful single Energy Agency with the twin objectives of security of supply and decarbonisation. Sorry Dieter, but hands to the fire. Here are a few radical ideas.

First, the national grid must be in public ownership. It delivers electricity and gas into our homes and is meant to ensure the lights stay on and industry’s furnaces glow. Network Rail is already publicly owned.

If action is what’s needed, Dieter Helm’s Energy Agency should commission the National Grid to provide a rolling programme of essential low carbon investments:

• Carbon capture & storage networks in at least three industrial regions, let’s say the Aire Valley, the North East and North West, linking coal and gas fired power stations with CO2 capture technology. Heavy industry carbon emitters like steel, cement and chemical plant gain access to the system, and it provides an outlet for our few remaining coal mines.
• Major renewable energy/offshore windfarm building programme through to 2030. This will attract European turbine plant makers like Siemens, with new factories on Hull docks, a city where 16 people chase every vacancy. At present, UK content of wind industry manufacture is around a third, it should be far higher.

Second, public sector led investment in homes insulation. According to the Energy Bill Revolution over the course of this Parliament fuel poverty funding will have decreased by 20% and energy efficiency funding for fuel poor by 20%. Energy efficiency funding for fuel poor hit a low mark last winter, decreasing by 50% as Warm Front was axed. Over 90 organisations supported the EBR’s letter to the Chancellor:

“Making homes highly energy efficient should be a priority UK infrastructure investment. This expansion could best be paid for by recycling carbon revenues from the Carbon Support Price and European Emissions Trading Scheme back into a home energy efficiency programme which is far more ambitious. It could make over half a million homes ‘super energy efficient’ every year.”

Local authorities should take the lead. They estimate that a national programme would boost the UK’s economy by £8bn, through helping people to save on energy bills and job creation. They called for minimum annual targets for solid wall insulation, and maximum targets on easier-to-treat cavity walls.

Finally, reform energy supply. The current energy industry structure is hidden from view. It’s not delivering innovative investment, low prices, decarbonisation nor security of supply. The Energy Agency should oblige them to sell their electricity into a pool, as Helm recommended, where the price would become the base price for retailing energy.

Is this radical enough? Will Hutton argued recently that “the quid pro quo is that energy companies have to accept that their cost of capital is lower because the risk element has been withdrawn – a new compact between the energy sector and government. They are, after all, utilities – a crucial part of our social as well as economic landscape.”

When German-owned RWE pulled out of the £4bn Atlantic Array, it was said that, “Uncertainty surrounding the current energy framework in the U.K. is widening the time gap between investors announcing their intentions and taking action.”

It’s worse than that, for a failure to act now on secure, affordable and low carbon energy has consequences that the public, at least, recognise as a collective, social responsibility.

On-line resources

"Power to the People!" is an edited video of Naomi Klein's powerful message to unions on Climate Change.  The speech was given at the launch of a new Canadian union called UNIFOR. The union champions environmental protection and social unionism.

“Skeptical science” provides excellent responses to sceptics’ arguments.