- Conference
- 2021 Virtual Special Energy Service Group Conference
- Date
- 15 April 2021
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes addressing the climate change challenge requires a fundamental restructuring of the energy supply sector, moving away from the world�s fossil fuel-based system to one that relies on clean, renewable sources.
The transition to a greener economy requires new skills. Skills needed for the newly emerging jobs, and skills needed for the adjusted existing jobs. Without a suitably trained workforce the transition will be impossible.
Skill gaps are already happening in a number of sectors such as renewable energy. The availability of workers with the right skills for green jobs plays not only a critical role in initiating the transition to a green economy, but also in enabling a just transition that ensures social inclusion and decent work. Employers investing in new technologies need to be able to find workers with the right skills.
Investment in skills and education should be an integral part of recovery plans after COVID19. Vocational training and reskilling can improve transferability across firms and sectors, While the energy transformation is likely to have an overall net-positive impact on employment, millions of fossil-fuel workers will need to find new jobs
The transfer of skilled labour from fossil fuel sectors remains low. If that�s to increase, government and business need to make firm commitments and establish a long-term vision in support of energy transition and to protect jobs and livelihoods and put the investment into up-skilling existing employees in the energy sector.
Partnerships between governments and industry can and should be built to finance reskilling and to ensure that training content meets the needs of the sector.
Conference, therefore, calls upon the Energy Service Group Executive to:
A: Work with labour link to ensure commitment to green job skills and training through Labour energy policy.
B: Ask UNISON Branches in the energy sector to work with employers, through negotiation, to ensure upskilling and training in green skills and jobs.