Blog

Prospect speaks up for energy members through conference season

30 September 2022

Prospect has been actively speaking and campaigning on behalf of its energy members through the party conference season on issues such as Just Transition, achieving Net Zero, skills and investing in the workforce.

Although the Liberal Democrat Conference was cancelled following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, senior Prospect officers took part in several energy-related fringe events at the Labour Party Conference 2022, which was held in Liverpool in late September.

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy was on the panel for an event hosted by the think tank, Bright Blue, looking at how to make the hydrogen economy a reality.

Mike argued that hydrogen was another potential source of energy that is still in search of a stable investment framework. A solution, he said, would be for an ‘energy third way’ – a group that represents different interests in society, from consumers to the workforce, that would be able to advise government on energy policy.

Relying on the market alone would not be able to deliver a hydrogen economy, he concluded.

Prospect senior deputy general secretary Sue Ferns spoke on a panel event co-hosted by the Institute for Government and Trade Unionists for Safe Nuclear Energy exploring the role that nuclear needs to play in delivering an energy-secure, Net Zero future for the UK.

She called for ambitious targets to be backed up by equally ambitious strategies for delivery, including direct government investment, a comprehensive skills strategy and a strategic energy agency to co-ordinate the whole system.

Sue called for the government to provide long-term solutions to prevent the UK from ever finding itself in such an energy crisis again, and for the government to get on with announcing its investment decision in Sizewell C and to realise the nuclear ambitions set out in the British Energy Security Strategy.

She also spoke of the need for fair pay and good terms and conditions in the industry to ensure it can recruit and retain skilled staff.

Sue also joined a roundtable co-hosted by the Institute for Public Policy Research and National Grid featuring representatives from industry and the third sector, which looked at how we can develop the future energy workforce needed to deliver a Just Transition to Net Zero.

Prospect negotiations officer Jez Stewart took part in another fringe event hosted by the Nuclear Industry Association looking at how to finance energy security.

Jez made the vital point that funding for nuclear tends to focus on infrastructure and there’s very little focus on skills and jobs.

He said that the industry would need around 40,000 new jobs within the next 10 years and, with an ageing workforce, there could be no certainty or security unless we’re able to fill those roles.

He called for a bigger focus on skills and creating well-paid, unionised jobs, which would benefit local families and communities – as well as helping provide energy security.

TUC President’s speech

As TUC president, Sue Ferns also addressed the main Labour Conference, where she said:

“Let’s fix our broken economy. By rebuilding our public services. Investing in our infrastructure. Creating the good, green jobs that will provide a just transition to net zero.

“And yes, by taking back control of how we run our energy system in this country, investing in our clean, green nuclear and renewable future.”

Watch a clip of Sue’s speech to Labour Conference here.

The Conservative Party Conference is being held in Birmingham between 2-5 October.

climate-emergency-holding-image

Climate emergency
two energy workers

Energy

From generation to transmission, Prospect represents the interests of over 22,500 members working across all parts of the energy sector.