Do workers and trade unions have a role to play in environmental protection? Results from case studies in companies in European countries

Abstract

Following on the generally grown recognition of an own environmental role for workers and trade unions, a considerable number of case studies was carried out in different research projects throughout the European Community in the first half of the 1990s, to investigate innovative practices and to collect experiences in this field. In this article the findings of five of these projects, comprising 43 case studies in total, are broadly presented and discussed. It is concluded that they are a rich source of learning material for all industrial relations actors. It is pointed out, however, that many of these studies are drawn from a selective part of industry, which may in some aspects lead to too dynamic and optimistic descriptions. Moreover, in most cases workers' and trade unions' inputs were found to be rather narrow and limited, for which several explanations are given in the article. It is finally concluded that, although workers and trade unions have no choice but to play a role in environmental protection, conflicting interests and tradition appear to prevent them from playing this role in an active, constructive and innovative way.