The Climate Solidarity project aims to work with trade union members to build a sustainable society in which new low carbon workplaces thrive and provide green jobs for the future. Our partnership builds on core trade union ideals of collective action, social justice and solidarity.
Climate Solidarity, a partnership of four unions working with the Climate Outreach and Information Network (COIN), will mobilise a combined union membership of nearly one million. The union partners – the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and the University and College Union (UCU) – will be engaged in the largest targeted environmental engagement project yet attempted in England.
The partnership aims to inspire community action on transport (travel to work and the efficient use of cars), housing (cutting bills, switching to low carbon suppliers and fitting insulation) and food (ending waste and buying locally). The project aims to set up ‘Climate Action Groups’ of trade union members, in the communities in which they live, working together for six months on a particular theme. The aim is to create a wave of action across the trade union movement which will start to make our society truly sustainable.
Experts from the Open University, the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University and the University of Sussex will evaluate the project.
This project complements the work that trade unions are already involved in such as the TUC’s ‘Green Workplaces’ projects and the large number of environmental activities initiated by union members in workplaces across the country.
