For many the environmental crisis feels like a distant threat. But for Stephen Smellie (National Executive Council member for Scotland) it’s not just about saving the planet for future generations but about campaigning, negotiating and bargaining for worker protections now.
2026 will be the UNISON Year of Green Activity, an opportunity for all branches and members to engage on climate change in their workplace in any way they can, to support branches and enable them to bargain and negotiate proactively on green workplace issues. Nicki Burston spoke with Stephen about how to turn words into action.
If we do nothing, what kinds of issues will members face in their workplaces?
If we keep ignoring the environment crisis, we’ll reach a point where we can’t even sustain the public services we rely on. Extreme weather already costs councils millions in repairs. And as air quality worsens, more respiratory issues pile pressure on the NHS. It’s money that could be used to improve healthcare, education and public transport.
What do you think people misunderstand about green workplace activism?
I think many workers have a general awareness that the climate is changing and they see it as they experience flood events or severe weather. But I don’t think they fully appreciate what it will mean to them in their workplace, especially from a health and safety viewpoint.
For example, during the last storm one of our home carers was visiting service users, driving a council vehicle. A tree fell and hit the car, the air bag inflated, and the worker was able to crawl out of the boot to get out. She had a lucky escape – physically unharmed but totally traumatised.
From a trade union point of view, we should not just be reacting to these situations, but preparing, engaging and planning how to keep workers safe. We need to be involved in negotiating the emergency plans right now. We need to put forward our negotiating position to save the planet, save services and make workers safer and more effective.
Stephen Smellie at COP26 in Glasgow. Image: Jess Hurd
What are some simple, actionable steps that members can take in their own workplaces?
Think globally but act locally. Take a hard look at your workplaces, your suppliers, and ask tough questions about the carbon footprint. Are the employers buying from companies that have sustainability in mind, or are we supporting those who just keep drilling for more oil? Are our pensions invested with ethical companies or huge fossil-fuel-reliant companies?
Ask if workplaces are doing their part to reduce their day-to-day carbon footprint. Take social care – are workers consulted about how their days are planned? Can they work on patches closer to home to reduce travel, or will they be waving at colleagues from their cars going in opposite directions multiple times a day?
We should also approach assessing our workplaces systematically, just like unions did with health & safety. Ask questions to see whether your workplaces are climate adaptable. Do you have the right ventilation and what are considered acceptable temperatures to work in? Are you safe when it comes to more frequent and severe weather events like flooding? Do you have the right equipment and PPE to work or travel in severe conditions?
Finally, you can establish what new skills you might need by carrying skills assessments and finding out if you’re climate ready.
What about young members? What’s their role in pushing for larger systemic change in public services?
Young members consistently show their enthusiasm, determination and understanding of the importance of green issues. They should be at the forefront of our bargaining – it’s their future at stake and they have the fresh ideas on what it should look like. And it’s not just about money and conditions, they should be holding the union to account, right now, and asking “As well as negotiating this year’s pay rise, what are you doing to ensure that in 5, 10, 15 years’ time we have job security, safe workplaces and an environment that is liveable?”
What progress do you hope to see on green bargaining in the workplaces in the next 10-20 years?
In a ‘just transition’ away from fossil fuels, we can create new renewable energy jobs while simultaneously valuing green jobs that UNISON members are already doing. We need to make sure the jobs we’re moving people into have decent pay and conditions while fighting for the same for those already in green jobs.
And as well as the type of jobs and their pay, we also need to think about their conditions. For example, negotiating for things like free public transport as part of a wage package would not only save workers money but also reduce the carbon footprint of both employees and employers.
How do you see UNISON’s role in the global movement to address climate change?
Under the Tories, the UK government refused to allow trade unions to be part of the delegations to the COP meetings. I am hopeful that this will change under Labour and UNISON will take an active part in the UK government’s COP delegation to Brazil in November 2025. This will help us ensure that workers’ rights are taken seriously on a global level, as well as locally.
What do you hope for the Year of Green Activity?
Climate change is with us already, but we can prevent it running away from us. We are not doomed but we need to be proactive. It’s possible to save the environment and make our workplaces better at the same time, so use the Year of Green Activity to raise issues at your branch meetings, in your workplaces, with your colleagues, with your families. Let’s campaign, bargain and negotiate together to put workers at the heart of climate solutions.
