Saturday 3rd February

No planet, no post 16 education, no trade union

It is time for UCU and other unions to take our responsibilities for the environment more seriously. If the planet continues changing for the worse then our work as a trade union will be in vain.

That’s not a cry of despair. It should be a call to action – that we as a union should unite with others in making climate change a campaign we join.

One of the responsibilities that comes with being a general secretary is the ability to see the big picture; to see the wood as well as the trees.

If elected, I will encourage members to take their environmental responsibilities seriously both within the union as employees and professionals as well as in everyday life. Here is a very clear example where our members are well placed to give a lead.

I attach below a circular sent last autumn to all UCU health and safety reps. This is a trade union issue!
UCU, The Work Environment and the Wider Environment.
During the recent attention to the Stern Report on climate change, some members, including some health and safety reps, have suggested we should consider how UCU can play a greater role in promoting policies for a sustainable environment.
As one put it in a phone call "It's all very well doing something about the workplace but we should not forget threats to the wider environment."
In fact, many health and safety reps are already involved in developing environment policies in their colleges and universities. For example, at South Thames College, UCU H&S reps on the environmental sub committee of the H&S committee are involved in discussions on reducing energy costs, the design of new buildings with features to conserve energy, and greater use of bicycles and other travel to work alternatives to the car.
Elsewhere, reps are often involved in negotiations on a host of issues concerning the working environment - issues which impact on the broader environment, from college heating to car parks. There have been moves over the years to add some environmental issues to the safety rep's brief - particularly in respect of the impact of the workplace and its activities on the local community, sustainability and the environment generally.
Of course, none of this valuable contribution is possible unless we establish and maintain a full network of effective and well supported workplace reps - which remains our priority.
However, a glance at the pages of Hazards magazine http://www.hazards.org/ the health and safety reps' magazine, shows health and safety reps in other unions are also concerned about the need to improve both the work environment and the wider environment. The magazine refers H&S reps to this article on global warming http://www.utu-canada.com/National%20Legislative%20Office/Oct_30_06_1.htm
Trade unions have been involved in such work for a while. The trade union sustainable development advisory committee (TUSDAC) was set up in 1998 as the main forum in the UK for consultation between Government and Trade Unions on sustainable development and environmental issues. http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/tusdac/work.htm See in particular the recent publication on 'Greening the Workplace'.
The AoC works with the Learning and Skills Council on the implementation of their sustainable development strategy. They have produced a briefing for their members describing their work on sustainability. Read more about how the AoC is working with SIGnet on sustainable development
The Carbon Trust has published a report relevant to education http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy The trust is calling on schools and FE colleges to save up to 20 per cent on their energy bill by adopting its easy, no and low cost energy-saving steps. For organisations with an annual energy bill of more than £50,000, the Carbon Trust is also offering a free site survey with tailored advice on how to cut energy use.
HEFCE has published guidance for higher education on sustainability http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_01/ UCU can play its part Doing something about the wider environment is clearly no longer an optional extra - we need to think about how we can make those links in practical ways, bearing in mind the sectors we work in. While many reps are already engaged in promoting better environmental policies to some degree, wwe’d be interested to hear ideas from health and safety reps - and others - for taking up these issues in a concerted and practical way, extending work around the workplace environment to supporting efforts to promote sustainability. Examples of good practice, local campaigns or ideas for wider activity would be very welcome.
There is also much that can be done within the curriculum, so UCU members can clearly play a key role in promoting understanding of sustainability and responses to climate change. It would be great to share ideas of how members are already doing this, especially in courses where this is not obviously easy. And there may be ideas on how the work of the union can be made as energy efficient as possible.Please also note: TUC courses : Trades unions and the environment These TUC course are for workplace representatives (health and safety reps and general shop stewards) interested in taking a wider view of their role as environmental reps. They take place in November and December 2006: http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-12284-f0.cfm?theme=sustainableworkplace