GJA writes to energy union GS’s on a transition to renewables and justice for workers
Photo by Anton Dmitriev on Unsplash
Following a number of informal exchanges with TU reps and officials in the energy sector, and given the variety of different emphases given to a transition to renewable energy across the union movement, GJA has written to the six General Secretaries with members in the area, a letter we reproduce below.
The aim is to establish where we are in terms of union leaderships, how that squares with what the memberships might be feeling, and what work needs to be done to achieve the most rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewables in a way that protects the job security of workers.
We will report back on the responses received in the January ‘24 edition of the GJA Newsletter.
To: General Secretaries as follows:
Sharon Graham (UNITE), Gary Smith (GMB), Mike Clancy (Prospect), Mick Lynch (RMT), Mark Dickenson (Nautilus), Christina McAnea (UNISON)
Oil and Gas Licencing in the North Sea
The Greener Jobs Alliance is a coalition of trade unions, environmental groups, and student organisations. We are writing to you during CoP 28 to establish your current thinking on the decision taken by the UK Government to grant a new licencing process for oil and gas exploration. In July 2023, Rishi Sunak announced that the government would grant 100 new North Sea oil and gas licences. In response the Labour Party said this “weak and confused policy… will do nothing for our energy security and drive a coach and horses through our climate commitments”.
The UN is warning that state-owned companies and energy giants are collectively set to produce more than double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than the limit that would be needed to avoid the worst of the climate crisis. Production Gap Report 2023 | UNEP – UN Environment Programme
In the light of the above we would be very interested in your response to these 6 questions:
- Do you agree with the Conservative Government policy decision to ‘max out’ on oil and gas production In the North Sea? Dismay as Rishi Sunak vows to ‘max out’ UK fossil fuel reserves | Fossil fuels | The Guardian
- Do you agree with the Climate Change Committee that “Expansion of fossil fuel production is not in line with Net Zero” (UK CCC, 2023, p. 15) Progress in reducing UK emissions – 2023 Report to Parliament (theccc.org.uk)
- Do you agree with the International Energy Association Report that says ‘no new long-lead time upstream oil and gas projects are needed’. Executive summary – Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in Reach – Analysis – IEA
- Do you agree that future oil and gas strategy in the UK must be in line with UK carbon budgets and contain detailed decarbonisation targets that are agreed with the recognised trade unions? Less than 1% of businesses have credible climate transition plans, CDP warns – edie
- Do you have any plans to conduct research in support of a strategy for a just transition in the oil and gas sector that is consistent with decarbonisation targets as well as safeguards for the existing workforce? Our-Power-Report.pdf (foe.scot)
- Do you think that the way to ensure a just transition in the oil and gas sector is if the energy sector is brought into public ownership?
Please provide any relevant additional information and/or links which help to expand on your response to each of the 6 questions.
In 2021, the UK provided tax expenditures for oil and gas production totalling £2 billion (OECD, 2023b). In recent years, profits from oil and gas production have been subject to a “ring fence corporation tax” at an effective rate of 40% (Seely, 2023). This constitutes one of the lowest oil and gas tax and royalty regimes in the world, with the global average at 70% (Graham, 2022).
The GJA considers it is vital that unions in the energy sector support policies that are both consistent with the science and that are based on climate justice for workers and communities rather than funding the obscene profits of multi-national companies.
In the January issue of the GJA newsletter we will report on the feedback from this letter. Meanwhile, we offer to support all unions that intend to develop just transition plans for their sector of employment.
Thank you in advance for any responses you can provide.
Regards
Tahir Latif
Secretary, Greener Jobs Alliance
Greener Jobs Alliance | DEMANDING CLIMATE JUSTICE
1 December 2023
Following a number of informal exchanges with TU reps and officials in the energy sector, and given the variety of different emphases given to a transition to renewable energy across the union movement, GJA has written to the six General Secretaries with members in the area, a letter we reproduce below.
The aim is to establish where we are in terms of union leaderships, how that squares with what the memberships might be feeling, and what work needs to be done to achieve the most rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewables in a way that protects the job security of workers.
We will report back on the responses received in the January ‘24 edition of the GJA Newsletter.
To: General Secretaries as follows:
Sharon Graham (UNITE), Gary Smith (GMB), Mike Clancy (Prospect), Mick Lynch (RMT), Mark Dickenson (Nautilus), Christina McAnea (UNISON)