Introducing five principles for our energy sector

2023 brought multiple challenges across Prospect’s Energy Sector – some, but not all, were anticipated, writes Sue Ferns, our Senior Deputy General Secretary.

The cost-of-living crisis, sustained economic uncertainty, and political short-termism have all required us to react and adapt to emerging events. Your representatives have worked incredibly hard to mitigate the worst effects and have secured some valuable improvements for members.

Looking ahead to the New Year, your Sector Executive Committee are determined to shift focus, and to reprioritise the bargaining agenda to meet members’ concerns head-on, including where these are in tension with the employer’s agenda.

A proactive strategy, based on five enabling principles, will include short, medium and longer-term objectives.

These are enabling principles to be applied flexibly at sub-sectoral and company level, but they should also bring coherence and greater visibility to the whole sector. Branches, or groups of branches, may decide to prioritise campaigning based on one or more of the principles, potentially complemented by cross-sector themes, for example based on health and safety.

The fact that 2024 will be a General Election year provides a timely and valuable opportunity to exert political influence cross-Party and to demonstrate that Prospect can provide a pathway to resolving problems and to enhancing leadership.

We are already seeing increased interest irrespective of political allegiance in the sector’s role in achieving energy security and climate goals. This will ramp up again in the coming months.

Your representatives will meet in the New Year to devise a campaign strategy and a programme for action. Please take the time to tell them what matters to you and look out for opportunities to get involved and make your voice heard.