Plymouth Sutton MP Linda Gilroy has given her support to a UNISON led campaign for trade union environmental representatives to be given the same rights at work as other trade union representatives, such as those active in health and safety and life long learning.

Linda has signed an Early Day Motion 1438 which calls upon the Government to make the necessary changes in the interest of improving environmental access in the workplace and increasing awareness of climate change as an issue.

Linda Gilroy said “Work place learning representatives have been a great success in helping adults with learning and developing skills. Many progress on to NVQs and I have even known some who have gone on to study at university.  Health and Safety representatives are a constant reinforcement of the drive for safety in the work place."

“With the need to tackle climate change becoming increasingly evident and urgent, who better to ensure that our businesses rise to meet the challenge, than those in the workplace alert to the daily opportunities there are for saving energy and reducing wasteful use of resources”. 

The full text of the Early Day motion can be found below

EDM 1438 - TRADE UNION CASE FOR WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES

That this House notes the warnings set out in the Stern Report about the potential economic, social and environmental effects of climate change; strongly welcomes the fact that the Climate Change Bill, if enacted will bring in measures to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent. by 2050; believes that trades unions are ideally placed to promote and implement best environmental practice in the workplace amongst their 6.7 million members; supports the negotiation of sustainable workplace agreements with employers; praises those employers who are developing environmental and sustainable workplace policies; commends those local authorities which have already recognised trades union environmental workplace representatives; and urges the Government to respond positively to the campaigns for trades union and environmental representatives to be given the same rights at work as other trades union representatives active in health and safety and lifelong learning.