- Conference
- 2021 Virtual Special Energy Service Group Conference
- Date
- 8 April 2021
- Decision
- Carried
At its inception in 2016, the Energy and Utilities Skills Partnership, made up of 30 utility organisations; gas, power, water, and waste management, recognised the underrepresentation of Black workers across the sector, citing, �Workforce diversity and inclusion levels for the sector continue to be below the UK averages, with only 7% of the sector�s employees coming from Black or other minority backgrounds, with the majority of the workforce across the sector, being white and male.� This is still an acknowledgement in their latest Workforce Strategy for 2020-2025.
Two of the most dangerous pre-existing, pre-COVID-19 conditions for Black workers are racism and economic inequality. These conditions, and their impact on Black workers were evident throughout the pandemic and the fall out post COVID-19 is expected to be worse, with the devastation lasting many more years for Black Workers than for their white counterparts.
The National Black Members Committee (NMBC) calls on the Energy Service Group Executive to:
1. Work collectively with the NBMC to develop an action plan to ensure energy sector employers commit to addressing the inequality of Black workers in the sector as a key feature of their Post Pandemic recovery plans.
2. Continue to work with the NBMC to highlight the disproportionate impact of COVID- 19 on Black workers in the sector by collating and monitoring data on redundancies, furlough, job losses and that data feeds into UNISON work.
3. Work with the NBMC to support energy sector Black members so that employers can:
i) work on developing, and implementing their post pandemic recovery and recruitment plans, in addition to facilitating strategic advocacy and self- organising support for Black workers in this sector.
ii) Support the development of a good practice guide for activists and representatives in this sector, in the context of developing equality guidance for Black workers and employer engagement.