Despite the best efforts of industry lobbyists, the debate over whether climate change is happening is over. In Scotland, we have ambitious targets, but targets alone don’t remove…Read more…
The UNISON member rebelling against extinction
Amanda King was arrested in London in October while protesting peacefully against inaction on the climate
The article The UNISON member rebelling against extinction first appeared on the UNISON…Read more…
‘Game changer’
Labour will work with trade unions to ensure the UK is carbon neutral by the 2030s, shadow business and energy secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said as the party launched its fast track climate strategy…Read more…
Branch Delegate Report – Hazards Conference Keele University
This branch sent a delegate to the Hazards Conference at Keele Unviersity 26-28 July 2019. They have produced an outstanding report on the conference theme of “Cleaning Up Toxic Work” and it is well worth a read – with some … Co…Read more…
In pictures: UNISON backing the school climate strike
As part of Green UNISON Week, members across the regions supported the school climate strikes and took action themselves
The article In pictures: UNISON backing the school climate strike first…Read more…
New National Parks for Scotland
National Parks are beautiful and inspiring places enjoyed by many – so why don’t we have more of them?
I declare an interest, I love our National Parks. I have walked the hills of the Trossachs and…Read more…
Why so quiet?
I’ve been getting a few questions lately, so wanted to post an update.
As I’m not in a workplace at the moment, I stepped down from the various Unite committees I was on. I’m still active in Unite (though the machine doesn’t make this easy!) but am co…Read more…
From floods to food banks
Environment Agency staff take industrial action after seeing a 20% drop in pay over the last decade
The article From floods to food banks first appeared on the UNISON National site.Read more…
Update for Green UNISON Day 13 September
Plans are stepping up for UNISON Scotland’s day of workplace action on climate change.
We’ve just sent branches a guide and ideas for activities to involve members and we look forward to hearing about plans as they develop.
Branches have been asked to complete an audit of their own practices on things like recycling and use of plastic and a survey on what their employers do on things likeRead more…
Jobs ‘car crash’?
The environment secretary Michael Gove’s ambition to phase out the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040 risks being a ‘car crash’ for jobs and skills, unless it is part of an industrial strategy…Read more…
Protecting our pensions and saving the planet
Pensions are meant to safeguard our future, but that future is threatened by the burning of carbon in fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. It’s also a poor investment, which is why there is a growing…Read more…
UNISON launches campaign to divest pensions from carbon
Guide will help members of local government pension schemes push for changes in the investment of their funds
The article UNISON launches campaign to divest pensions from carbon first appeared on…Read more…
Govt chaos causes car slump
Brexit uncertainty and confusion over the government’s diesel policies were among the main reasons to blame for the latest figures showing car sales fell by 5.7 per cent in 2017. Last month…Read more…
Three things UNISON members can do about climate change today/this weekend! #ScotPfG
You may have
spotted some good news about climate action in yesterday’s Programme for
Government, including action on phasing out new fossil fuel cars, investment in
active travel, drink deposit schemes and low carbon infrastructure. (UNISON
briefing here).
We particularly
welcome news of the Just Transition Commission, although we still need to hear
the details of it and some otherRead more…
International Newsletter Autumn 2017
Interesting features include: Peace for Colombia Global unions call for release of union leader in Belarus Kazakhstan – stop repression against trade union leaders Cambodia – support abandoned workers in their struggle for lost wages and benefits Human Rights in … Continue reading…Read more…
Act for our Future – help make new #ClimateChangeBill bigger and better
UNISON members are being urged
to help make Scotland’s new Climate Change Act as strong as possible.
With other members of Stop
Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), we are disappointed that the Scottish
Government’s proposals for the new Bill are not ambitious enough.
The SCCS Act for our Future
campaign has an easy online E Action. You can click here to email First Minister Nicola SturgeonRead more…
Industrial CCS in Teesside: the cinderella project that could set the UK towards its climate and growth goals
The recent TUC report ‘Powering Ahead’ argues that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an investment in our industrial and environmental future. It will be important for the economic regeneration of key industries by stimulating future clean growth in the UK. Teesside Collective is working to make…Read more…
Xi Jinping is right: the Paris climate agreement must not be derailed
In an important week for global affairs, Chinese president Xi Jinping has given a major speech at the United Nations in Geneva, arguing that the world must not allow the Paris climate deal to be “derailed”. Demonstrating the neat turn of phrase associated with his predecessor, Deng…Read more…
Climate Change and the US Presidential Election: is there a way forward?
Martin Wolf is on fine form in today’s Financial Times (£), writing about the imperative of addressing climate change. Specifically, Wolf describes with frightening clarity the warming of the planet and asks, rhetorically, if this is such an important issue, why has it not featured in the debates…Read more…
Why more carrot and less stick can help us to ‘Power Ahead’
The TUC recently published a new policy document, ‘Powering Ahead: How UK industry can match Europe’s environmental leaders’. This document sets out a path to a sustainable industrial strategy, in which ‘sustainable’ describes the economic, social and environmental challenges facing companies,…Read more…