Energy Sustainability and the Energy Crisis

We are all aware of the crisis we are facing in the energy industry. With energy cost increases set to continue, the invasion of Ukraine on the 24th February 2022 and continued sanctions on Russia causing gas shortages as well as the continued rise of inflation. It is no wonder that we are seeing more […]

Energy Market – Public Ownership of energy retail is key

Since de-regulation we have seen many suppliers come and go within the energy industry and while this was seen as a good thing competitively, there was little thought about the impacts on the energy workforce which has seen thousands of good jobs lost from the suppliers with strong union agreements in place. While inadequate regulations […]

Changes in National Grid

This energy service group Conference notes that significant changes are happening within National Grid that will impact UNISON members who work for the company. These changes include the purchase of WPD (western power distribution) the disposal of its Gas Transmission business and the possible disposal of the electricity system operator function. As a result of […]

Trans equality in Energy – louder and prouder!

The toxic debate ignited by the United Kingdom government’s consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act underlined the importance of our union, including branches in the energy service group, supporting and representing our trans members effectively Attacks on trans rights have escalated further in the past year. There has been a sustained attack on Stonewall’s […]

Net zero and LGBT+ members

Conference recalls that the “UNISON Energy workers and the drive to Net Zero and Carbon Neutrality by 2050” motion passed at the 2021 Energy conference highlighted the measures promoted by the service group which would retain and promote members jobs in the energy sector while driving the changes necessary to decarbonise energy and called on […]

Make 2022 the Year of Disabled Workers in Energy workplaces

Conference notes that UNISON has declared 2022 the year of disabled workers, which is a great opportunity for Energy branches to organise, bargain and campaign on the issues that matter to our disabled members and to increase recruitment and retention as a result. Energy branches can use 2022 to highlight the experience of our disabled […]

Unlocking the Potential of all in the Energy Industry

Conference notes that energy employers have reported many difficulties in recruiting into a wide range of roles within the energy sector. It is also known that in some parts of the sector the workforce is ageing, and more workers are retiring than being replaced. This is adding to workforce fatigue and an over reliance on […]

A balanced Energy System fit for the future, employing our members in good jobs!

Conference notes that in November 2021 the UK hosted the COP 26 in Glasgow. At this COP the UK again committed itself to achieving Net Zero by 2050 which itself is a statutory target which the UK Government should be working towards achieving. UNISON energy workers know already that achieving Net Zero will be hard […]

Cost of Living Crisis and its Impact on Energy Workers

Conference notes that as a result of rapidly increasing wholesale gas prices, the price of energy for consumers and businesses in the UK has also significantly increased. Further it notes that the energy price cap which regulates the default tariffs has been increased by some 54% by the energy regulator OFGEM. This is the tariff […]

Encouraging STEM subject study to increase numbers of women working in technical roles in Energy

Research shows that at GCSE level engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects has a broadly similar gender split. At this level female students are achieving higher or equal average A*-C grades compared to males. At A Level this drops off with a higher number of males taking up STEM subjects, for example […]

Increasing diversity within Energy

Conference picture someone working in the energy sector, and you are likely to mentally summon up an image of a white, middle-aged male. Although a lack of diversity isn’t unique to energy, it is an issue that needs solving. While the situation is improving, it’s not changing fast enough, recent events have rightly woken up […]

AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

Conference acknowledges the endemic nature of abuse, harassment and violence faced by women on a daily basis. The tragic murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry Nicole Smallman, Sabina Nessa and many other women in the past year have brought to the forefront the scale of violence against women and reinforced how unsafe many women feel […]

Violence Against Disabled Women and Domestic Abuse

Conference notes recent advice from the Metropolitan Police force that women should “run away” if they feel unsafe in the presence of a lone police officer in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2020. Not only is this advice discriminatory towards disabled women, but it also fails to address the root […]

Mentoring and Developing Grassroots Women of Unison

Unison is committed to proportionality for women but the reality is that in many branches this does not happen. By the time women have done their jobs, looked after the children and their homes, checked on their elderly parents and helped with homework, there is little time to sit and map out what they need […]

Disabled Women Paying the Price of Punitive Government Policy

Conference notes that the 2020 National Women’s Conference passed policy on how women were on a “cliff edge” with respect of to the poverty trap that the need to stay within the thresholds of Universal Credit has created. The pandemic has made this situation much worse. Disabled women are faced with a perfect storm of […]