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GREEN UNISON |
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February 2010
UNISON marching for climate justice
UNISON was well represented at the Wave, a 50,000-strong sea of blue marching through central London. Around 7,000 marched in Glasgow too, in the lead up to the Copenhagen climate change summit last December. The largest marches for climate change in UK history sent a clear message to the government that they need to take action to limit climate change.
Two UNISON activists tell the story of the day.
First-time marcher and UNISON member from Leeds, Hayley Atkinson said:
"The Wave was my first ever march. I absolutely loved it and adored the atmosphere. It was great to see that a lot of charities and organisations I support, or am involved with, have a presence. My favourite part was the policeman in Parliament Square who told us off for not being loud enough!
I came down from Leeds, and had to arrive pretty early to help out at the march. As a volunteer, I had to keep an eye on crowd control and ensure that the march kept pace. Essentially, this meant that I got to take part and enjoy the march, as there was no trouble whatsoever. I think the best outfit I saw, if you can call it that, was a massive dragon that had come down from Wales on a bus organised by the Co-op.
Without planning it, I met up with lots of people that I knew, before and along the march. I volunteer at festivals with Oxfam during the summer months, so there was a bit of an Oxfam festivals contingent there on the day, with people coming from Bournemouth, London, Brighton, Bristol, Bath and Cardiff. We met up to hear Barbara Stocking, Oxfam's UK Director, talking at the rally.
After the march I felt elated to have taken part in something so big and I was absolutely shattered that evening. Post-Copenhagen I think that there is a feeling of disappointment, but this just means for us that the campaigning continues!"
Martin Russo, a payments assistant at UNISON head office, writes:
"It was hard to believe that 50,000 people swelled the streets of London. So, despite the cold weather a clear message was sent to our global leaders that we all have a stake in saving our planet.
One of the best outfits I saw were two green grasshopper performance artists, mingling in amongst the crowds on stilts. It was a timely reminder of the effect climate change is having on insects, wildlife, plants, oceans and animals in our world.
I hope world leaders take note of warnings from President Nasaheed of the Maldives that 'Climate change is happening and it threatens the rights and security of everyone on Earth'.
We should be investing in research and development and into creating green jobs, as a part of a fair and just transition to a greener economy.
We must be more resourceful with our use of energy, waste and way of life. Engaging people by promoting small changes can help. For example, switching utilities to a greener tariff, using public transport, recycling more, re-using shopping bags and eating less beef. In the spirit of collectivism, our world must embrace the green agenda. I think The Wave demonstrated our desire for action.'
Unfinished business
So, the marchers have trudged off, the politicians are back in their ministries and the good citizens of Copenhagen have their city back. And as the dust settles its an appropriate time to think about what, if anything, was achieved at December's UN climate talks.
As far as UNISON is concerned there is a sense of disappointment.
The agreement reached is a short political text that in many ways reflects the power play between the USA and leading developing nations, including China, India, Brazil and South Africa. It includes no legally binding emissions reductions targets. And it includes no reference to the need for a worker friendly 'just transition' that trade unions from around the world had been calling for.
That not to say that it doesn't include some useful elements.
- It endorses the limit of two degrees warming as the benchmark for global progress on climate change.
- Unlike the previous climate change agreement, the Kyoto protocol, leading developing countries have, alongside developed countries, agreed to make commitments to tackle emission
- Developed countries have entered into financial commitments to help developing countries grow their economies sustainably and adapt to the impacts of climate change. This includes 'fast start' finance worth $10bn a year by 2012 ($2.4 billion from the UK) and specific support to tackle deforestation. And in the longer term the accord seeks to increase support to $100bn per annum from 2020.
NHS developments around sustainability
recent media reports have raised fears over the carbon emissions generated by public buildings, such as hospitals and schools. What the story didn't explain is the behind the scenes work being done by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, supported by UNISON. The project aim is to reduce carbon emissions in the NHS by 10% by 2015. The project is aiming to do this by getting green issues onto everyone's agenda, incorporating it into policies, and the NHS operating framework. Partnership working will be key to delivering the reduction, which is where UNISON comes in. Together with the other NHS unions, UNISON will be taking discussions forward about how new greener ways of working can be developed in partnership, instead of being imposed on the workforce.
Green campaigns
Get serious about CO2
UNISON is supporting Friends of the Earth's Get Serious About CO2 campaign, which aims to drive a step change in local action on climate change by councils. We agree with Friends of the Earth that more ambition is needed at the local level if councils are to play their part in meeting the national targets set out in Climate Change Act.What's more, we agree that by taking action on climate change, local authorities can boost their local economies, create jobs, help lift people out of fuel poverty and improve public transport. Find out about how you and/or your branch can get involved at:
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/get_serious/info.html
Get your pension fund behind the tar sands campaign
UNISON is backing the campaign to get Shell to think again about plans to develop the tar sands in Canada. Many believe Shell's plans will have a devastating impact on the environment. The Campaign is being organised by FairPensions, and is aimed at bringing the influence that many people hold as pension fund members to bear on Shell.
Local government pension funds invested £460 million in Shell in 2008.
FairPensions is working with a coalition of investors and NGOs and has succeeded in co-ordinating a shareholder resolution to be discussed at Shell's 2010 Shareholder meeting (Royal Dutch Shell plc AGM, May 18th).
The resolution calls on Shell to answer questions about their involvement in tar sands.
Tar sands make up the world's second largest oil reserves, but the damage they can cause to the climate is even worse than that of conventional oil. The greenhouse gas emissions of converting tar sands into fuel are three times higher. Roughly three barrels of natural gas are consumed to create one barrel of oil.
The resolution has support from a large coalition of investors, including pension funds, fund managers, foundations, faith groups and individuals.
FairPensions is currently developing a web tool, that will enable members to send a message directly to their pensions funds asking them to support the campaign. We will forward details of the new web tool to all Green UNISON readers once they become available. For the time being you can get further information from http://www.fairpensions.org.uk/Shell
Green workplaces pilots update
The UNISON branch at Leicester City Council has hosted a launch event to mark the start of its activities as a Green Workplaces Pilot. UNISON members attending the event, along with those from Unite and GMB, signed up for a training course that will provide them with tools they need to negotiate with their employer on green issues.
Sarah Pearce from the TUC spoke at the launch about the importance of trade unions and joint approaches to the fight against climate change in the workplace. She said that other pilots that the TUC had been involved in demonstrated that there was clear value added when trade unions were directly involved in energy efficiency and other environmental issues in the workplace. She also unveiled the preliminary findings of a survey of council employees that the UNISON branch had carried out, showing how staff were keen to be more involved in the green agenda. Representatives from the council, including senior councillors, welcomed UNISON's leadership.
There has also been progress in UNISON's other pilots. In Wales members are taking part in a range of special training courses that have been developed for the union by an organisation called the Climate Outreach and Information Network.
At Great Ormond Street in London, the hospital has agreed to a set up a joint environmental committee, chaired by UNISON's branch secretary.
And at United Utilities in the north west members have taken place in a series of training events.
All of the pilots are funded through the government's Union Modernisation Fund, supported by the TUC and its National Assembly for Wales equivalent. Best practice and lessons from all of the pilots will be shared throughout UNISON in the months ahead. Watch this space for further details.
Forthcoming events
Going Green at Work
Monday 15 March 2010, Congress House, London
TUC national one-day conference
Sign up for "Going Green at Work", a national TUC conference on organising for greener workplaces. The conference will showcase the work of the TUC's growing army of green reps, with a report-back and evaluation of the TUC's two-year Green Workplaces projects, many of which involve UNISON branches.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/events/detail.cfm?event=3157
Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group conference
Saturday 13 March 2010, Central London
The third Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union conference will bring trade unionists together to debate the best way forward. It will be an opportunity to discuss the "Million Climate Jobs" campaign and how other trade unionists have been organising.
http://www.campaigncc.org/tuconference2010
And finally
Green new year resolutions
With the new year well under way, we thought a list of green new year's resolutions might help inspire you to take action. Here is a selection from regular readers and contributors to Green UNISON
Martin: 'I am going to use my bike more to promote alternative modes of transport.'
Daniel: 'My green new years resolution started as soon as I got back from Copenhagen. I've stopped making unnecessary car journeys, I turn the water off between cleaning my teeth, and I always use the eco setting on the washing machine.'
Rod: 'We have a local agreement that officers on essential users car allowance don't have to provide a car for work on days that they don't need to leave the office, or have local visit's planned. My resolution is to travel to work by public transport or bike at least one day a week. This will save approximately 400 miles car travel a year.'
Sophie: 'I'll be putting a waterproof brick in my cistern so the flush of the toilet doesn't use so much water. Once the weather improves, I'll be getting back on my bike for the journey to work, and although I'm already vegetarian, I'll be making sure that the other people in my house each less meat every week. I'll be banning the plastic bag, taking a cotton bag with me each time I go shopping.
What are your green new year's resolutions? Let us know at greenunison@unison.co.uk
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