Green Caucus Activates Members and Breaks New Ground

-by Kerry Graber

The Council 28 Executive Board passed a resolution last year and formed a Green Caucus (GC) group to start working on integrating environmental considerations into our union’s values, actions, and decisions.  The GC kicked off this effort last January with a workshop and planning session at the SeaTac Double Tree Hotel, and started meeting by conference phone/video conference on a monthly basis.  A second planning session was held in September, drawing members across the state to prepare a strategic plan for unveiling at the October Council 28 convention.

The convention provided an opportunity for the GC to hold workshops and discussions about what members would like to see the union accomplish by adopting sustainability as part of our values and beliefs.  Sustainability is a word seen a great deal in print and in the media, and can mean different things to people.  For the GC, sustainability means we look at issues and decisions for their long term consequences, their impact on future generations, and their use of precious resources.  The language of sustainability is useful because we can engage in controversial discussions without buying in to the polarizing of people into “winners” and “losers.” 

Looking at many problems we struggle with right now in Washington state, members long for decision-makers to engage in problem-solving instead of rhetoric.  Sustainability brings into focus issues like stable funding for State Parks, green jobs that are here to stay, products that are made without toxic chemicals, because the view encompasses the future and considers the real costs of decisions. 

What we’ve done so far:

•    Outreach to members.  The GC was formed to provide our members a voice in the discussion about environmental issues, so setting up a communication system from the start was important.  The first step was to establish a blog where we could post our agendas, meeting notes, and resources.  Part of our push at convention was to sign up more members to receive notices of events from our blog.  We doubled our number, and we continue to see more sign-ups.  We also kicked off our involvement in twitter, and started posting messages during convention.  GC members are also visiting local meetings and sharing our vision.

•    Going green in our union work.  We started working with Council staff to provide information and resources on “walking our talk.”  The GC pushed for a greener convention, offering a local green building tour and making sure recycling was a part of the facilities we used.  Council staff started evaluating offices and buildings for considerations like curb-side recycling and energy use.  The Council’s Women’s Committee adopted a goal to hold paperless meetings.  Council Executive Board meetings have cut paper use in half.  We are looking for a member to help us develop a “10 things your Local can do to save the earth.”

•    Making friends.  Another goal was to start networking with environmental groups and develop relationships with organizations that could educate us and ally with us on our issues.  Our second face-to-face planning session was started with a presentation from Laurie Valeriano, executive director of the Washington Toxics Coalition.  In the Spokane area GC members have been making connections with local and statewide groups, and we hope to have a speaker from one of these at our next monthly meeting.  Plans are in the works to have union members attend the Spokane River Keeper’s spring cleanup event.  The GC is looking for a similar event we can participate in for the Olympia area, and a member to make the connection for us.

•    Gearing up for the session.  As the special legislative session convenes we are preparing to have a voice in the coming regular session.  Members have volunteered to help with bill tracking and making sure legislative staff are aware of our concerns about specific legislation.  We are identifying members who can provide resources and possibly testify on several issues that may come up, including environmental agency consolidation, funding for State Parks, and toxics legislation.  We are identifying environmental groups that might partner with us in this effort.

With the grim economic outlook and the prospect of another all-cuts budget, members may question whether involvement in the GC is important.  You already know that being a state employee is more than just bringing home a paycheck, it is also about public service and being a citizen.  The GC offers a chance for members to engage in a group that works on issues that matter to the communities we live in.  In the process we may find ourselves in the company of people and organizations that see us as allies and friends.  Our green shirts may come to stand not just for “union” but for “green values” as well.