Unions launch environmental campaign in Walloon companies

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The two principal Belgian trade union confederations launched a campaign in mid-1998 to raise awareness about environmental protection in companies in Wallonia.

The Walloon sections of the two principal trade union confederations in Belgium have agreed on a campaign to raise awareness amongst workers to promote environmental protection. The organisations are the Belgian General Federation of Labour (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique/Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, FGTB/ABVV) and the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens/Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond, CSC/ACV). According to the CSC/ACV national secretary, Pino Carlino, "the idea that the environment is the enemy of employment must not be allowed to persist."

The two organisations have set up an inter-union network for information and consciousness-raising on the environment (Réseau intersyndical d'information et de sensibilisation à l'environnement, RISE), which will operate from mid-1998 until the end of 1999. It offers practical guidelines covering legal aspects and various types of training in order to help workers' representatives and unionised workers to develop awareness about environmental questions in firms.

Pilot projects will also be set up in six Walloon companies, one of which is in public services. The objective is to develop a dialogue on environmental questions in joint bodies - ie the works council and the workplace health and safety committee. Campaigns aimed at reducing the negative impact of companies' activities on the environment will also be developed. The selected firms are in engineering, industrial cleaning, the chemical industry, food and food processing and rail transport.