Sustainable Transport and the Environment Guide - Unite the Union

Appendix 3
GREENING YOUR WORKPLACE – SOME PRACTICAL TIPS FOR UNITE
TRANSPORT WORKERS
Elect Union Green Reps This can be
a standalone role, or held by existing
union reps - shop stewards, Union
Learning Reps, or H&S reps, as well as
those new to (or returning to) activism.
Unite wants union reps to have the
same legal right to represent members
on environmental issues, as they
already do on H&S and learning
issues. In the mean time, in some
workplaces Union Green Reps have
negotiated to be recognized and
consulted, and for facilities. It’s
important to work closely with
stewards and other existing reps - eg
ULRs have promoted environmental
issues within the learning agenda, and
H&S Reps have brought their
knowledge of the employers legal
duties, eg on temperature &
equipment.
In well organised workplaces, Union
environmental reps can act as a conduit
between management and
members/staff, feeding concerns,
suggestions and responses in both
directions, and working with the
workforce and management to develop
best environmental practice. They can
help review or shape environmental
policies and initiatives, and help ensure
that such policies are properly
understood, fit for purpose, and can be
put into practical effect in a fair way at
each workplace.
Getting the union message across
Who is responsible for environmental
issues, on the management side?
There is often already a committee or
working party (either at local or group
level) combining roles like Facilities /
Energy Environment manager,
Corporate Social Responsibility/PR
dept, and possibly Human Resources
(especially if they are also looking at
travel). It is important to work with
the existing union structures to take the
environmental agenda forward,
whether by ensuring this item is on the
JNC’s agenda, the H&S committee is
given an expanded remit, that there is a
specific environment committee set up,
or getting an existing committee to
include trade union representation.
Environmental Agreement It is also
important to formalise trade union
involvement in environmental issues,
where possible, through environmental
agreements. An agreement could cover
the mechanisms for union
involvement, reps, facilities and
training; the issues to be covered;
mutual responsibilities and procedures
for dealing with issues; clear objectives
and monitoring policies; and links with
H&S and other policies and structures.
There should be an emphasis on
collective rewards and it should be
made clear that disciplinary procedures
will never be used to enforce
environmental agreements. There is a
draft model agreement in the free
guide available from TUC Publications
‘Go Green At Work’ For more ideas,
see the checklist, overleaf. If you do
negotiate an agreement on any
environmental issue, be sure to send a
copy to www.lrd.org.uk so that others
can benefit too.
Training Unite runs national courses
on the environment – contact your
regional Education officer. There is
also an online TUC course. A key role
is to negotiate for on-site training for
all members on energy efficiency,
greener driving, etc. If courses are put
on without union involvement they
may not properly meet people’s needs.
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