Feeling a bit green

Some NUJ staff were feeling a bit green as a result of the previous day (and night's) Christmas lunch. For me, the green feeling was for more worthy reasons! Yesterday I joined other union leaders in pledging our commitment to promote greater environmental sustainability in our unions - both internally and in the workplaces we organise in.

I made the commitment at a TUC-organised breakfast event at which Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis and DEFRA under-secretary of state Joan Ruddock spoke about the key role for unions in promoting collective action on climate change and greening the workplaces.

The NUJ has already taken the first step, promoting better energy efficiency, reducing waste and improving our recycling but we still have a long way to go to significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

Yesterday was part of that commitment to take the next step. You can read more about our future plans here.

Following the breakfast event I attended the TUC General Council at which we discussed public services, new moves to give temporary and agency workers more rights and equality issues in the light of the controversial appointment of Joel Edwards to the Commission on Equality and Human Rights. Rightly the TUC and the NUJ will be protesting about the appointment of someone who has consistently opposed moves to combat discrimination based on sexuality.

The later afternoon was taken up with answering letters, emails and more pensions negotiations with the NUJ Officials' Chapel.