Blog: COP28 in Dubai

As a member of the ITUC delegation attending COP28 in Dubai, I have had the opportunity to witness both the achievements and concerns from a trade union perspective during the first week of the conference.

Just transition

One of the significant achievements during the first week of COP28 in Dubai, was the acknowledgment of the importance of a just transition to a low-carbon economy. Recognition of the rights and needs of workers and affected communities in the transition process is crucial. 

In daily negotiations I have advocated for the inclusion of just transition measures in the final agreement. This would ensure that workers are not left behind. We will know more on whether our attempts have been successful at the end of this year’s COP negotiations in a few days’ time.

Engagement with trade unions

COP28 has witnessed a notable level of engagement with trade unions in the decision-making process, though there is definitely room for improvement here in future. 

Trade unionist presence in various working groups and consultations has allowed us to contribute our expertise and ensure that labour issues are given due consideration, and the recognition of the role of trade unions in addressing climate change is a positive step towards a more inclusive and effective response.

Strengthened solidarity

The first week of COP28 saw trade unions from different countries and sectors coming together to share experiences and strategies. Solidarity among unions and their federations from across the globe has grown. This has led to fruitful collaborations and the exchange of best practices. This unity has amplified our voice and enhanced our ability to influence climate policies and actions.

Insufficient funding and ambition

In spite of the positives listed above, I am concerned about a lack of ambition for nationally determined contributions (NDCs), the measures that individual countries are prepared to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

I’m also concerned that there are insufficient financial resources allocated to support workers and communities in the transition to a sustainable economy. Trade unions at the conference have called for increased funding and investment in reskilling, job creation, and social protection measures to ensure a fair and equitable transition for all workers.

Finally, there appears to be a lack of gendered perspectives and the recognition of the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalised groups. There are also uncertainties around the position of countries that rely upon fossil fuels such as the COP28 host the UAE. 

As we move into the second week of COP28, trade unions have made significant strides in promoting just transition, securing increased engagement, and fostering collaboration. 

With a newly formed policy sub group focusing specifically on this area, UNISON remains fully committed to working towards a climate-resilient world that prioritises workers’ rights and the wellbeing of communities.

 

The article Blog: COP28 in Dubai first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Reflecting on a week at COP28 in Dubai

Tony Wright (pictured) is a member of the ITUC delegation attending COP28 in Dubai, and had the opportunity to witness both the achievements and concerns from a trade union perspective during the first week of the conference. Here he reflects on the first week at the conference.

Just transition

One of the significant achievements during the first week of COP28 in Dubai, was the acknowledgment of the importance of a just transition to a low-carbon economy. Recognition of the rights and needs of workers and affected communities in the transition process is crucial. 

In daily negotiations I have advocated for the inclusion of just transition measures in the final agreement. This would ensure that workers are not left behind. We will know more on whether our attempts have been successful at the end of this year’s COP negotiations in a few days’ time.

Engagement with trade unions

COP28 has witnessed a notable level of engagement with trade unions in the decision-making process, though there is definitely room for improvement here in future. 

Trade unionist presence in various working groups and consultations has allowed us to contribute our expertise and ensure that labour issues are given due consideration, and the recognition of the role of trade unions in addressing climate change is a positive step towards a more inclusive and effective response.

Strengthened solidarity

The first week of COP28 saw trade unions from different countries and sectors coming together to share experiences and strategies. Solidarity among unions and their federations from across the globe has grown. This has led to fruitful collaborations and the exchange of best practices. This unity has amplified our voice and enhanced our ability to influence climate policies and actions.

Insufficient funding and ambition

In spite of the positives listed above, I am concerned about a lack of ambition for nationally determined contributions, the measures that individual countries are prepared to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius. 

I’m also concerned that there are insufficient financial resources allocated to support workers and communities in the transition to a sustainable economy. Trade unions at the conference have called for increased funding and investment in reskilling, job creation, and social protection measures to ensure a fair and equitable transition for all workers.

Finally, there appears to be a lack of gendered perspectives and the recognition of the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalised groups. There are also uncertainties around the position of countries that rely upon fossil fuels such as the COP28 host the UAE. 

As we move into the second week of COP28, trade unions have made significant strides in promoting just transition, securing increased engagement, and fostering collaboration. 

With a newly formed policy sub group focusing specifically on this area, UNISON remains fully committed to working towards a climate-resilient world that prioritises workers’ rights and the wellbeing of communities.

 

The article Blog: Reflecting on a week at COP28 in Dubai first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘This challenge unites us as a union’, says new green report

“There has never been a better time to recognise the need, and appetite, for increased engagement on climate change and the green economy,” says a new report commissioned by UNISON.

Compiled by Professor Vera Trappmann and Dr. Jo Cutter at Leeds University’s Centre for Employment Relations Innovation and Change (CERIC), the report details the results of a survey of almost 400 UNISON members, compared against a nationally representative sample of 2,000 workers.

The detail and significance of the report will be covered at a lunchtime webinar on 23 March: Register to attend at the link below.

Tackling the Climate Crisis: UNISON members’ views, expectations, and opportunities for action

In the report, a number of key themes were explored, including:

  • how the threat of climate change is perceived by members;
  • who should take responsibility in climate leadership;
  • the hopes and fears, training necessities, and opinions regarding a just transition to a green economy.

The threat of climate change

UNISON members are much more worried about climate change than the average UK worker, the report claims, with 95% of members saying they are very or fairly concerned about climate change compared to only just over three quarters of the wider sample.

Just over 85% of members think we are seeing the effect of climate change in the UK already, and six out of 10 believe the issue should be addressed with extreme urgency – twice the level of the wider sample.

Not only are UNISON members concerned about the threat of climate change, almost two thirds (63%) reported very, or quite, strong feelings of ‘outrage’ compared to the UK average of 40%.

The union’s members also feel higher levels of fear (52% against 37%) and anxiety (54% against 39%) when compared to the wider sample.

The report goes on to argue that people’s emotions about climate change influence the likelihood that they will take individual or collective action. As a result, UNISON members are more likely to: try to reduce their carbon footprint at home; be involved in action to reduce emissions or protect the environment; and be involved in environmental activities or campaigns in their community than those in the wider sample.

From these statistics, the report draws the conclusion that there is a “clear opportunity for UNISON to engage more with members and employers around climate change.”

Climate leadership

The report also addresses the question of who holds the most responsibility to address climate change. UNISON members appear to believe that, in order, it is the government, then businesses, then individuals, then community groups and organisations. 

However, there was a general rejection of a ‘laissez faire’ approach to unregulated, business-led transition, with UNISON members placing a high importance on worker and community engagement.

This ties in with the results of the survey which suggest that members have a very clear idea of the ways in which their workplaces could decarbonise. However, only a third (35.3%) of members are extremely or somewhat satisfied with their involvement in decisions at work, compared to a UK worker average of just under half (46.7%).

The combination of having clear ideas of how to decarbonise combined with a lack of involvement in decisions leads the report to suggest that UNISON members believe the union could play a huge role to push through necessary change in addressing the issue of climate change.

This led the report to suggest that the existing body of knowledge held by workers across the public sector – about how systems, jobs and skills will need to change – should be drawn upon, and that there is a clear opportunity for the union to fill the gap between workers and management, to claim more involvement from employers.

Just transition

The report also discusses the opinions of members about how to support workers and communities to ensure that any green transition is ‘fair’.

On the wider political stage, members support a range of climate policies, including carbon taxes and investment in green technologies, and they are also likely to support new forms of public ownership to help drive net-zero.

One of the key findings in this area is that many UNISON members anticipate they will need to learn new green skills in their current role, so that they are able to work effectively in a more sustainable way – with climate education and specific training being seen as critical in helping workers address climate goals.

It was also found that many members would consider switching to green jobs and would be willing to learn new skills, but that access to applicable climate change training, which is currently very low, and the perceived ‘quality’ of green jobs are barriers which need to be addressed.

Conclusions

In summarising the report, Sampson Low, head of UNISON’s policy unit, said: “Climate denial is no longer the issue – the issue is the urgent need for climate action. This challenge unites us as a union and gives us an emotional drive to engage with the green agenda as a workplace and public service union.”

Read the full report

Or for more detailed analysis, join the lunchtime webinar on 23 March, 12:30 – 1:30. Register here.

The article ‘This challenge unites us as a union’, says new green report first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: COP27 – One step forward…

Early on Sunday morning Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian foreign minister and President of COP27, the United Nations Climate Conference, closed the proceedings with a tired last flourish of his gavel. Many of the delegates and observers had left, including myself, as it had been scheduled to finish on the Friday.

Mr Shoukry could, at least, be satisfied that an agreement was finally reached. Throughout the second week the gap between the different parties was so great, that it seemed unlikely it could be closed.

There were those seeking greater ambition in achieving the target temperature rise of only 1.5 degrees (a target which remained barely alive after COP26) and those who were willing to forget it.

Those demanding a fund be set up to deal with loss and damage – compensation for the people of the Global South who have benefitted least from the burning of fossil fuels by the rich nations, and suffering most from the impacts of climate change – were opposed by the US and a few others.

In the end, after 27 COPs, it was finally agreed to set up a Loss and Damage Fund. There is no money in the fund yet, and no agreement as to who should be paying into it (the US and EU want China included) nor who should receive the funds – all the developing countries, or just the most vulnerable. But it was a genuinely historic decision, that trade unions helped to campaign for, recognising that those who have caused the damage should compensate those who have suffered most.

However, the Sharm el Sheikh Implementation Plan, following the Glasgow Climate Pact and the Paris Agreement, could be seen as a step backwards. In Glasgow it was agreed to commit to the “phasing down of unmitigated coal.” It was hoped to build on this with commitments to “phase down” the use of all fossil fuels.

But at a conference where, once again, the biggest number of representatives came from fossil fuel companies and the hosts, Egypt, wish to develop their gas reserves, it’s hardly surprising that these hopes would come up against resistance. Furthermore, countries like Saudi Arabia were pushing to protect their vast oil wealth and the most powerful nation, the US, is granting licenses to those fossil fuel companies to expand gas exploration.

The agreement commits to an energy transition towards “lower emissions and renewables.” This means a green light to continue the exploitation of gas, in particular, since it has lower emissions than coal.

The sick man who has been poisoned is now prescribed a slightly less poisonous substance. It won’t cure him, but it might delay his inevitable death a little longer.

The trade unions had campaigned for greater ambition in reducing the carbon emissions that are causing global warming and the catastrophic severe weather events associated with climate change.

We have been pushing for this to be done through social dialogue, involving the workers in the fossil fuel industries with the employers and governments seeking progress, whilst providing the workforce with alternative employment or training in the new industries that must replace the old.

Commitments to this just transition are enshrined in the Paris, Glasgow and now the Sharm el Sheikh agreements. However, some parties are less committed to justice for workers and more concerned with protecting the profits and power of the employers, with calls for “labour rights” to be included in the agreements ignored. Therefore, the fight for a just transition for workers will continue.

Finally, COP27 in sunny Sharm el Sheikh took place under the cloud of Egypt’s appalling record on human rights, including its suppression of climate change activists and trade unionists.

There were no protests or unofficial meetings outside the COP27 conference centre and at the end of the two weeks 60,000 political prisoners remain in Egypt’s prisons.

There can be no climate justice without human rights and labour rights and so there remains much to be done. I hope UNISON and our members will continue to be at the centre of this struggle.

The article Blog: COP27 – One step forward… first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Working a day every week for free at the Environment Agency

“We’re not going to get jam tomorrow. We might get a piece of stale bread, but we won’t have any jam to spread on it, that’s for sure.”

You could be forgiven for thinking, given all the headlines about dead fish off Britain’s east coast, sewage in the country’s rivers and seas and increased flooding due to climate change, that the role of the Environment Agency in England would be considered vital.

Unfortunately, the Conservative government seems to think otherwise. Recent policy announcements and the bill to scrap absolutely any regulation that has felt the breath of the EU on it reveal an administration that is happy to rip up a raft of environmental protections in the chase for ‘growth’ and some sort of ‘Brexit Brucie Bonus’.

So it’s not difficult to imagine how Environment Agency staff might be treated in such a context.

Working one day in five for nothing

Jackie Hamer, the chair of the UNISON Environment Agency sector committee, has worked for the agency and its predecessor organisations for almost 37 years, going back to the days of the old water authorities, before water privatisation.

“I originally started working in fisheries research,” she explains, “but for the last 15 years, I have been a senior environment officer, specialising in agriculture. I support people in my team – part of a specialist agriculture team – giving them technical advice and technical leadership.”

Farming is subject to a range of different regulations, so Jackie’s team advises farmers in the North East, helping them to be compliant with the rules and, if they aren’t, potentially taking enforcement action.

But why is she voting to take strike action – and recommending that other members do so too?

“Because I’ve been around a long time, I’ve got a very long corporate memory,” she says. “And a long memory about previous pay awards and, since 2011, maybe, we’ve never had a pay rise that matched inflation.

“Once, it almost matched inflation – and that was it. In a number of years, we had a pay freeze. So the result is that our salaries in the Environment Agency have lost 20% of their value in real terms if you look at inflation over the same period.”

Or put another way: “We’re now working one day in every five for nothing.”

There’s the wider context too. “At same time, this government seems to want to hand cash to people who are already the wealthiest in society,” notes Jackie.

“I just think it’s completely unfair. It’s always ordinary working people who bear the brunt. Every time there has to be savings made and cuts and all the rest of it, it’s always the public sector, it’s always public services.

“And the losers are the people who work in public services – myself and my colleagues – but also the general public, who are supposed to be beneficiaries of these service.”

Flood water in fields, UK countryside, 2021. Climate change, extreme weather, global warming. Global floods risk under climate change. Flooded wooden filed gate

Flooding in the UK has increased in recent years as climate change worsens

 

She points out that the public pay taxes and have a right to expect those services, but the government has, over the last 12 years, made deeper and deeper cuts. Jackie says that a lack of funding at the Environment Agency means it’s carrying a record number of vacancies and “that puts an awful lot of pressure on the people who are left, desperately trying to cover all the gaps.

“We are seeing more people completely leave the agency than we ever have in the past, in terms of percentage turnover. It’s just the perfect storm, and I don’t see any signs that this is going to improve, to any degree, next year.”

She notes that, on the basis of what “the latest chancellor”, Jeremy Hunt, has intimated, “there’s going to be a load of cuts coming down the line and that will mean all these promises of jam tomorrow, in terms of pay.”

Existing – not living

Jackie continues: “It’s not just about my personal position – it’s also about others who work for the Environment Agency, who are paid a lot less than me. People who are on less than £19,000 a year. Only just above the minimum wage or living wage.

“And they’re finding it really hard. They’re having to do significant overtime just to keep their heads above water.

“They’re not living – they’re existing, in some cases. And it’s desperately unfair. They do some vital jobs, yet they are so badly rewarded for what they do.

“Everyone loses – there are no winners here.”

Jackie mentions fellow UNISON activist Andy Theaker, who works in field operations in the Thames area.

Field operatives maintain flood defences, repair them and, when there’s a flood warning, operate those flood defences.

“It means keeping things like trash screens clear,” observes Jackie. “In the autumn and winter, when there’s a lot of dead leaves around … that’s a 24-hour job to prevent the water backing up and flooding.

“It’s operating flood gates, it’s putting up temporary flood defences in some cases. These people do really, really vital roles.”

Man from environmental agency report on flood situation. York, North Yorkshire, UK.

An Environment Agency officer reporting on flooding in York, North Yorkshire.

 

Later, Andy himself explains that there are essentially two types of worker in the EA: “staff”, of whom there are around 9,000, and “manual”, of whom there are roughly 1,000.

Andy is in the latter group. Their primary role is incident response, with their main focus on operating and maintaining flood defences, although they can be called to pollution incidents too.

Skilled and important work – but low paid.

“Pay was never that good, but it was enough,” comments Andy.

“But after 10 years of pay ‘restraint’ … I think that’s the word … we’ve fallen behind.

“And with the cost of living now, people can’t afford to work for the agency”. Like Jackie, he sees staff “leaving in their droves”.

As an example, he talks of a colleague – ex-colleague – whose wife was made redundant. They had two young children and he could no longer afford to drive to work. So he got a new job as a delivery driver – with better hours and £6k a year more in the bank.

Andy and his wife are feeling the pinch too, though with no children at home any more, they’re looking to downsize, while pulling back on household expenditure.

“I’m better off than many others – one of the lucky ones,” he says, “but it’s still very difficult”.

‘I can’t imagine working anywhere else’

Amanda Cruddas is another UNISON activist, working as an environment officer in Cumbria and Lancashire – a job she’s done for 27 years.

“I’m institutionalised really!” She jokes, “but I can’t imagine working anywhere else. Like any job, there’s good bits and bad bits, but I do enjoy it. It’s sort of an identity.

“I investigate pollution, but we don’t go out that often.”

Why not?

Officers cannot simply make up their minds to attend a pollution incident – and certainly not if it’s what is known as a category three one. But as Amanda points out: “When it’s not serious – when there aren’t any dead fish – it’s still not good. Category three incidents, as they’re classed, it’s still sewerage or slurry or something … septic tanks in a stream … it’s still not how it should be.

“And we know that, when left, those things just get worse and it’s slow degradation … It accumulates; lowers the quality of the rivers and everything around it.”

From the point of view of herself and her colleagues, she says that they’d certainly like to go to the less serious incidents.

“But we’ve got to have justification … very strong justification, which is usually somebody kicking off – somebody ‘bigger’.”

Water contaminated with sewage and waste in a reservoir

Water contaminated with sewage and waste in a reservoir

 

So why is she recommending that members at the agency vote to strike?

“Because they [the employer] think they can get away with it, I suppose. Because we haven’t had a proper pay rise for 12 years.

“We’re supposed to feel that 2% is lots. And to be honest, when you’ve had 0% or 1%, you think: ‘Ooo, 2%, yeah! Well, that’s quite good!’

“And then you realise that – it’s not.”

She too mentions how staff are, in effect, working a day a week for free.

But she’s also keen to press the point that members should vote for strike action as well as action short of a strike, which she thinks can be more useful in raising awareness of just how much the work they do is missed.

She refers to a previous occasion when, rather than striking, members withdrew from the incident response system. That was reported to the government’s emergency situation committee, commonly known as COBRA.

“People might say ‘who’ll notice if we’re not working?’ and I think they notice more when we do action short of strike, actually,” says Amanda. “Although flooding isn’t my primary role, something like two thirds of those who respond to flooding events don’t work in flood defence. It needs the rest of us to manage everything around it.

“I’m, personally, either a logistics officer or somebody who goes to the multi-agency meetings when there’s a flooding event. All stuff that needs doing.”

It’s easy to understand why this kind of tactic can work as well as conventional strikes.

Getting in the news

Amanda clarifies: “I am prepared to strike and I’d urge other members to vote ‘yes’ to both strike and action short of a strike, so that then we have the choice”.

She also thinks it helps that strike action is getting in the news more and that the public is very supportive, as the cost of living crisis and underfunded services affect everyone.

And she is also delighted that UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea is getting substantial news coverage, raising the profile of the union and its members, describing it as “fabulous”. “I think that we need to have our voice and say, yes … us as well”.

Any final thoughts? She muses for a moment. “It’s time for us to say: ‘No, we’ve had enough really’.”

The ballot of UNISON members working for the Environment Agency is open. The ballot closes on 10 November.

Find out more

The article Working a day every week for free at the Environment Agency first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: There is no future on a dead planet

The devastating impacts of the climate emergency are felt across every part of the globe, but they fall heaviest on the disadvantaged.

UNISON doesn’t need any persuading that climate change is real, dangerous and destructive. There is no future on a dead planet, so we need commitments and action now from government and employers. And if the transition to net zero is not just, workers and their families will suffer.

We are determined to be part of the necessary change. Trade unions are the only force that can ensure urgent policies and measures deliver a fair transition.

Green UNISON Week is our time to highlight these issues, as part of our ongoing work on tackling climate change and greening the workplace. Last year, UNISON supported the UK and global trade union movement at COP26 in Glasgow. Important commitments were made, but sadly it looks like the current government will remove regulations rather than implement vital new ones.

Putting Jacob Rees-Mogg in charge of the energy brief is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. We’re already hearing opposition to onshore wind and any expansion of solar power, with excuses that “We don’t have enough space”. Aggressive new plans for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, and pledges to lift the fracking ban, prove that this government can’t be trusted with the environment.

This is a once-in-a-generation challenge that we must rise to, and a key part of that is decarbonising our public services. Our own research, Getting to net zero in UK public services: The road to decarbonisation, has shown that the UK government can only meet its Just Transition pledges by committing to urgent additional funding (around £140 billion) and implementing a social dialogue and partnership with the representative organisations of workers and employers.

The costs of renewable energy continue to decline dramatically ahead of expectations. At the same time, leaked Treasury analysis in August showed that excess profits for UK-based fossil fuel producers would reach £170bn in the next two years; it’s clear, from this, that political choices could make the money available for a Just Transition.

The UK also has one of the oldest and most energy inefficient housing stocks in Europe. We are the least prepared and most vulnerable to the current unprecedented energy price hike across Europe, further compounding the cost of living crisis. This could have been avoided if an urgent national programme of home insulation measures had been implemented. UNISON has been calling for this for nearly a decade.

We know there are many urgent funding issues facing this government, but they are all political choices. While we accept that windfall taxes, or any taxes, aren’t the whole answer, it’s clear that greening the workplace and getting to net zero will require money to be raised fairly, and to be targeted at what works best. It’s also clear that we can’t afford to wait.

You can take action now. Get involved in Green UNISON Week.

 

The article Blog: There is no future on a dead planet first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Get ready for Green UNISON Week

This September, the union is once again supporting and encouraging branches to mark Green UNISON Week, using it to celebrate, discuss and share how the union is working to green public services.

From 23 of September to 1 October, branches across the UK will be asked to consider organising a week of activities to call for urgent action to tackle climate change.

Green UNISON Week also gives members the chance to show support for the school climate strike on Friday 23 September.

Christina McAnea said: “The climate crisis could not be more real and is being felt across the globe. Green UNISON Week is our chance to focus in and highlight these issues – it also gives young people a global space to demand politicians take seriously the damage being done to our planet and act to save its future.

“Engaging with members and employers is vital if we are to ready ourselves and engage on this issue,” continued the general secretary.

“We’re encouraging branches to run a week of activities for members and most importantly to engage with employers on how they can reduce their own carbon footprints and ensure their employers have a plan to green their workplaces completely. It’s never been more important!”

Anti-trade union laws mean that UNISON branches cannot take strike action, but there are many ways to show support for the school campaigners and take part in Green UNISON Week.

We’ll be updating you on new events and activities that you can take part in nearer the event and there are some activity ideas and resources attached below for you to start mapping out the activities you want to run.

Key actions

Does your UNISON branch have an environment rep? If not, encourage your branch and any interested members to get involved and become green reps. You can find others who share your concerns about climate change and Green UNISON Week can be your springboard into starting a new green UNISON network where you work.

Find out what your employer is doing to reduce the organisation’s environmental impact. Ask your employer to share this information with UNISON.

Hold a UNISON green event. You could run a lunchtime stall in the canteen, a film show or a talk. Why not invite a speaker from a local environmental campaign group or a school student climate striker to support young people on the 23 September.

Run a green workplace training activity. Talk to your UNISON learning rep/s and look into running a lunchtime activity session for green reps and members who’d like to learn more.

Resources/events – with more to come nearer the time

Sign up to our network to receive green updates here, including guidance on green bargaining and being a green workplace rep.

Find out more about the Fridays for Future youth climate strike on 23 September here.

Find out how your branch can take part in the UK Big Green Week and in Scotland, at Stop Climate Chaos.

Be part of Green UNISON

Use hashtags #GreenUnison in Twitter and Facebook events, photographs and solidarity messages from your branch or as an individual.

Use UNISON’s Greening of Public services logo in your green work.

The article Get ready for Green UNISON Week first appeared on the UNISON National site.