Enviromental officer

[Big Daz]

The union are not spending your money on the Royal Mail enviromental champion role.

As and when some sort of union environment rep is developed in the CWU there is no need for it to cost much money, H and S reps are entitled to paid release for CWU environment courses. The climate solidarity project is funded by a government grant. For those that are wanting to give a environment rep role a go then at local level there really isnt a need for great big chunks of release time and giving up a bit of free time say 30 mins a week if needed would work fine. Once the training has taken place then costs become almost zero to the CWU.


The enviroment has been part of CWU for many years, thats why they have a department called Health Safety and Environment.

[fishtank]

The union are not spending your money on the Royal Mail enviromental champion role.

As and when some sort of union environment rep is developed in the CWU there is no need for it to cost much money, H and S reps are entitled to paid release for CWU environment courses. The climate solidarity project is funded by a government grant. For those that are wanting to give a environment rep role a go then at local level there really isnt a need for great big chunks of release time and giving up a bit of free time say 30 mins a week if needed would work fine. Once the training has taken place then costs become almost zero to the CWU.


The enviroment has been part of CWU for many years, thats why they have a department called Health Safety and Environment.

Yes Daz but at the end of the day the waste of 5p.....is still a waste.
Protecting the Environment,if it can be protected...which i doubt should not be hijacked by companies or unions simply looking for a PR stunt and a tax break.

[stokes11eg]

Don't take things so much to heart, Big Daz--but please tell me, if the Union have been involved in this cause for a great many years, can you tell me whet they have achieved so far? And more importantly what they hope to achieve in the future? Have they saved a rainforest? And so the Government is funding this project? Not the C.W.U?
Still feel the money, where ever it comes from should be spent on achievable projects---

[Big Daz]

Not a lot, the Environment tag if Im correct was added on to h and S when Dave Joyce took over which was around 2001/2002.

It wasnt untill last year that CWU powers that be thought that it might be a good idea if they started upskilling reps to tackle environment issues in the world of work when they did a Monday to Friday course at Alvescot Lodge. Conference passed a motion this year around recycling part of which suggested that local Enviroment reps would be a way of achiveing the objectives of the motion. What the NEC have done with that since conference I have no idea.

[Big Daz]

http://climatesolidarity.org.uk/climate ... nion-issue" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Climate change: a trade union issue

The world is heating up, like a greenhouse. This is because certain forms of pollution - such as carbon dioxide - are trapping heat in the atmosphere. As the world heats up, we are seeing more extreme weather such as droughts, floods and storms, and sea levels are rising. This in turn will lead to more food shortages, many more refugees, and the risk of more conflicts. This is known as climate change.

Climate change has largely been caused by individual consumption in wealthy countries, but it is going to hit the poorest hardest - both in this country and around the world. Moving to a low carbon lifestyle is an action of solidarity.

Many traditional union strengths - collective action, peer learning, democratic accountability - have a new relevance in getting to, and thriving in, a low carbon world. If the rights of working people are to be protected during the 21st century, trade unionists will need to be at the forefront of shaping the low carbon economy.

Climate change is becoming a major issue in the workplace. Many employers already have internal policies and targets for cutting emissions, and government will also be introducing mandatory targets known as the Carbon Reduction Commitment. These changes will have implications for working practices, including home working, travel, workplace environments, waste handling, work canteens and so on. Climate Solidarity is a means of understanding and becoming skilled in an issue that is increasingly important in the workplace and negotiations. It compliments other initiatives such as the TUC's Greening the Workplace.

Finally, Climate Solidarity is a great opportunity for involving less active union members, and non-union employees, in a positive collective campaign - increasing awareness of the union in the workplace.

[Big Daz]

http://climatesolidarity.org.uk/what-climate-solidarity" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


What is Climate Solidarity?

Climate Solidarity is a trade union response to climate change. It's about learning, working and acting together to help make the kind of society we want to live in.

Most people are worried about Climate Change, and the impact it will have on us, our jobs, our communities, and future generations. Many of us feel overwhelmed by information about the bad effects that climate change will have, or confused about what we can do.

But when it comes to climate change, you don't have to act on your own. Climate Solidarity is about working together with colleagues or friends to take simple, practical steps to cut carbon pollution in our homes and workplaces. Climate Solidarity provides everything you need - materials, training and support.

People get involved in Climate Solidarity for all sorts of reasons. For some of us, it's about mobilising union members so that trade unions can have a stronger voice on changes in our workplaces, and the transition to a low carbon economy. For some of us it is about doing our bit, and making sure that we only use our fair share of the world's resources. And for some of us, cutting carbon pollution and waste is one of the best ways of putting a few more pounds in our pockets - from savings on electricity, gas, and fuel.

Whatever your reason, it's a reason to get active.

[Big Daz]

http://climatesolidarity.org.uk/employers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For employers

Climate Solidarity is a project set up by trade unions to involve their members in acting on carbon emissions and sustainability. Everyone knows that we need to cut our emissions of greenhouse gases quickly. All organisations and individuals will need new skills and knowledge to live and thrive in the coming low-carbon economy.

The Climate Solidarity project is working with ‘Action Groups’ of employees. Each group will select an action to focus on from a menu of tried and tested options - for example increasing home insulation, smarter commuting, or reducing food waste - and work on it over a period of six months. All members of the group are asked to fill in a questionnaire on this website at the beginning of the period, and another at the end, so that progress can be measured and evaluated.

If you want to support this project, please allow employees short periods of work time to hear an intial presentation and then set up an Action Group. These activities might be undertaken within existing arrangements for employee learning or trade union facility time, or might be additional.

As an employer, you will benefit from having staff who are much more aware of climate change and sustainability, and who are much more likely to support action in the workplace to cut energy use, waste and carbon emissions.

Under the new CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (mandatory for all organisations that had at least one half hourly meter settled on the half hourly market) employers are encouraged to engage with recognised trade unions on carbon reduction efforts.
Please support Climate Solidarity.

[Big Daz]

https://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18200-f0.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Have a read of section 2 (Why is climate change a trade union issue?) it will aid with understanding why the CWU, other unions and the TUC see why climate change and sustainabilty is a issue they should engage in and tackle.

[stokes11eg]

Please don't temp me to say we could could carbon emissions by silencing Big B! And as for mobolising members get rid of same and it might just happen. The present leadership is responsible for the lack of cohesion in the ranks! Now to the more serious issues--most of what you will be talking about over the next six months, we already know!
And most folks already try to make a difference! Except of course for the government itself. who quite happily pollute the world with bombs, space travel etc.
Now, climate change and global warming. Yes, mankind is responsible for pillaging and almost destroying the planet, but long before they stalked this earth we had 'climate change' it's the way the earth moves you see! Truly, it takes nearly 27 thousand years for the earth to do a complete evolution around the ecliptic, during which time it moves further away from one pole to another. Everey time you have a total eclipse of the sun, the earth moves one degree on its axis, and true summer comes 20 minutes early every year. If you lived for 27 thousand years, and you were the only man on the planet,you would experience all these climate changes people keep talking about, from ice age to desert conditions and back again!
I admire folks like yourself who are passionate about cause, but if you read back your post, you will see you are perhaps fighting the wrong one--and are being used as the Governments mouthpiece.LKet us not forget it is the govewrnments of the world that have caused these problems in the first place!

[dvbuk55]

Ah yes another talking shop, this time on "global warming" - maybe that will take peoples mind off the real issues, like pay, terms and conditions, allowances, fair work loads, and on and on

Does anyone seriously think that a load of chatter is going to change anything, well apart from Big Daz of course, or is this just another avenue into the CWU brotherhood? This has been a long standing issue without a short term solution. We have had many climate changes over the centuries and the world and the population have found the solution when it was really needed.

Perhaps if the chattering stopped there would be less CO2 - now there's a thought.

[fishtank]

Climate change and especially "global warming" are red herrings and have done more to damage the environmental movement than the unfortunately dressed hippies that tend to congregate around such things without adding much beyond "peace man" to the debate.
The real problem is the rampant consumerism that has gripped the world from Beijing to Bogota and of course fuelling this consumerism are those very companies who have "Environmental Champions" so.....Daz i think you will make a great champion you are certainly enthusiastic enough but if you really are interested in green issues i'm afraid you may be climbing into bed with the wrong people.

[bedfordrl]

Actually the term "Global Warming" was invented by quack scientists and latched onto by tax greedy politicians .

The terminology changed when the weather would not cooperate and became "Climate Change" ,now whatever the weather throws at us it is our fault and they are not wrong.

[Big Daz]

Whilst the main thrust of unions is the terms and conditions of employment branching off into other workplace and employment related/linked issues in my view is fine so long as it doesnt effect the main thrust.

For example the CWU climate solidarity project worker rather than Dave or a officer from Dave's department is liasing with RM over thier enviroment champion programme, so the IR officers are still devoting their time and energy to IR issues in RM!!

[Big Daz]

But fishtank do we give up and walk away or do we battle the beast and battle it from within if nesscary? What is wrong with trying to make changes.


Over half of carbon emissions are work related and british comapnies waste 1 billion pounds of energy every year.Id much rather that money was in the wages and pensions of hard working trade union members wouldnt you?


Workplaces burn energy, consume resouces and generate waste and travel so they are a obvious place to tackle climate change.

[dvbuk55]

Climate solidarity - who the f*ck thought up that little nugget. it's a bit like womens lib for one cup bras..................... totally bloody useless. I'll swear there must be a whole group dedicated to making up names for people to get round a table and chatter.

Now lets be realistic and ask how much can a bunch of no marks round a table achieve in affecting climate change? Answers on the back of a postage stamp please.

What will affect change? Money, science and the will of ALL governments to curb consumerism.