The climate emergency was the second highest concern for Prospect members who took part in the union’s latest survey.

This was true across all industrial sectors and the biggest change in responses from previous years.

The findings back up action taken by the union’s national executive committee which declared a climate emergency at its meeting in September 2019.

On what Prospect could be doing to help tackle climate change, 86% of respondents said supporting workplace initiatives to lower carbon emissions should be the top priority.

82% said the union should lobby the government over wider climate policy.

And 79% said Prospect should develop proposals to support workers and communities to transition to low carbon jobs.

“The union is already hard at work on environmental issues, whether that is lobbying for low-carbon energy or arguing for a Just Transition for workers into new green jobs.

“Members clearly want us to play our full part in tackling the climate crisis and we are determined to do even more in the years ahead,” said Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy.

Nearly 8,000 members took part in the survey in January. When asked about their campaign priorities, pay was the key focus.

This is not surprising given that earnings have stagnated, if not fallen in real terms since 2010, and remain below their 2008 peak.

“Prospect negotiators have had some important wins on pay in recent years and we are determined to make sure all members get the rewards they deserve in their pay deals,” said Clancy.

Rights at work and the UK’s future relationship with the EU remained important for members and will continue to be central to the union’s campaign activities.

The survey also highlighted members’ concerns about how employers are collecting and using their data.

Half of members are not sure what data their bosses collect on them and a third are not confident it is being used appropriately (see page 5).

“As more technology is integrated into the workplace, this issue will become even more important. The union is determined to get ahead of the game by arguing for enhanced rights at work, such as a right to switch off and to have transparency on data collection and use,” Clancy concluded.

Download the results from our library (member log in and PowerPoint required).

Share your workplace sustainability policies

Activists and branches in every Prospect sector are asking how the union can take action on climate change.

Our greatest strength is in our members’ ability to influence their own workplaces. With nearly half of UK carbon emissions due to workplace activity, we believe unions have a critical role in the transition to a low-carbon future.

We are looking for examples of employer policies that shape workplaces’ environmental impact, eg: sustainability agreements, location strategies and waste management and travel policies

We also want to hear from branches on how those policies translate into practice. This will help us build a resource for reps and members that will help them identify measures to improve sustainability in their own workplaces.

Please let us have your input by 20 March 2020, via [email protected]