Received from: BFAWU
Congress applauds the rising number of climate emergency declarations, and the inspiring actions of school students and young activists.
Congress acknowledges the efforts of energy unions and the TUC to make commitments on just transition a reality for workers in energy-intensive industries, and to ensure union protections for workers in the green economy.
Congress welcomes the Labour Party’s commitment to bring energy transmission and distribution networks back into public ownership, and to set up a National Energy Agency (NEA).
Congress notes the failure of for-profit approaches to energy transition and decarbonisation. The UK and the EU are both failing to meet their respective targets.
Congress notes that the renewables sector has benefited from public subsidies that guarantee returns for non-UK private companies. The large numbers of renewable energy jobs promised by politicians have not materialised, as the apparent betrayal of the BiFab workers in Fife tragically illustrates.
Rapid decarbonisation will require a dramatic scale-up of renewables. Guaranteeing private profit through power purchase agreements must be replaced by direct public ownership and control over deployment, integration and operation of renewables.
Congress notes that workers in the retail and customer service operations of the “Big Six” should be incorporated into a new public system under the proposed NEA.
Congress calls on the TUC to:
i. commit to a full reclaiming of the power sector to public ownership, encompassing existing and future generation capacity, transmission and distribution networks, as well as retail and customer service operations.
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union
Amendment
· Insert new penultimate paragraph:
“Congress reaffirms the TUC’s 2012 Congress policy on the public ownership of the big banks, which could play a central role in building a sustainable economy, investing in a publicly owned energy sector and creating decent, unionised jobs in the interests of working people.”
Fire Brigades Union