Green Party backs TUC in call for environmental reps
07 September 2008
News from the Green Party | 8 September 2008
For immediate release
GREEN PARTY BACKS TUC IN CALL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPS
The Green Party has passed a motion calling for the establishment of workplace environmental representatives with the same rights as other trade union representatives.
The motion, which was prioritised by the membership and passed overwhelmingly at conference, called for the representatives to have a decision-making role in the development and implementation of strategies to make workplaces greener and more sustainable.
Green Party MEP Jean Lambert, who proposed the motion, said:
“It is important we work with trade unions to improve environmental performances and make workplaces greener and it was heartening to see the membership of the party choose this as the most important policy at conference.
“In the European Parliament the Green Party has consistently and vociferously defended workers rights. We need to break the idea that Labour are any longer the natural party of the unions and make it clear that the Green Party are the people to defend workers against profiteering corporations and provide a safe and secure future.”
Newly elected Deputy Green Leader Adrian Ramsay added:
“This is an important proposal which should help enable the environmental and the workplace safety agendas to come together in a way that will be important for the lives and well-being of many thousands of workers for years to come.
“In Norwich, Green Party Councillors have worked with a number of different trades unions on different issues over the past couple of years, including supporting the recent strike by council employees.
“Most crucially, we are currently engaged in close discussions with the unions over the possibility of bringing a number of Council services back 'in-house' – that is to say, in reversing the privatisation of Council services carried out by a previous Labour administration at City Hall."
Ends
Notes
Text of Trade Union Reps motion:
Synopsis
This motion amends the current workers rights policy so the Green Party has
a clear policy to grant, and to advocate for, the right of trades unions to
establish workplace environmental representatives. This is being campaigned
for by many unions and the TUC.
Motion
Delete last sentence of WR630(1), and insert new WR631 (and renumbering):
"WR631 Trade Unions and their branches will have the right to establish workplace environmental representatives, who will have the same rights at work as other trade union representatives. This will include appropriate facilities and time off to undertake their duties. Such representatives should play a decision making role in the development of strategies and implementation plans for making workplaces, companies and other public, private and third sector organisations greener and more sustainable."
(1) sentence to be deleted: in the short term the Green Party will press both the unions and the employers to create new branch officers and shop steward posts (with full facilities and time off) to cover environmental protection.
Proposed by: Jean Lambert MEP, Romayne Phoenix, James Caspell, Samir Jeraj
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