Unite divert Labour election funds in oil and gas protest

Unite has hit out at Labour's policy of banning new licences for oil and gas projects in the North Sea following concerns over major job losses by 2030.

The Herald on Sunday reports that the union has urged Keir Starmer to commit to a multi-billion pound plan to save 36,000 oil and gas jobs.

Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said she had “no problem whatsoever being on the naughty step” over pushing a new campaign putting the screws on Labour.

She warned that Scotland’s oil and gas workers were heading toward becoming “the coal miners of our generation” through the loss of jobs.

Graham (below) said Labour could become the “heroes of the hour” if they committed to the union's radical plan to spend £1.1bn annually for the next six years to transition from oil and gas to renewables – which she said would save jobs and create 6000 more by 2030.

The paper also reported that Unite was beginning to target six key Scottish constituencies that are heavily dependent on oil that Labour hopes to seize at the forthcoming General Election.

The union is urging Starmer to drop his “irresponsible” planned ban on new licences for fossil fuels.  

The “no ban without a plan” campaign will focus on the areas of Aberdeenshire North and Moray, Aberdeen North, Alloa and Grangemouth, Bathgate and Linlithgow, Falkirk and Orkney and Shetland and warns Labour not to “push North Sea workers off a cliff edge”.

The Herald on Sunday reported that the £100,000 campaign money has been diverted from funds earmarked for Labour.

READ MORE: Councillor left fuming as campervans in Scottish Highlands 'disrupt locals'

Unite gave Labour £3.5 million in the run-up to the 2019 general election, making it by far the biggest contributor to the party’s campaign. Currently, it has £29m in its political fund.

The Unite campaign involves the erection of billboards, paid advertising displays, and canvassing residents.

It has been described as a “grassroots mobilisation of Unite members organised in the constituencies delivering leaflets and organising events, and lobbies to raise the debate”.

A just transition? 

Graham described Unite’s plans as a “vote winner” and claimed Labour’s shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband (below) “can’t name” the jobs he insists will replace oil and gas employment and lead to a “just transition”.

The union official, who began work as a silver service waitress at 16, and led her first walkout at 17 in defence of the rights of casual workers which she won, added: “We can create 36,000 jobs, partly, 24,000 in wind power, including the whole manufacture and that we have laid this out very clearly.

“We would be creating by 2030, 36,000 jobs and we've done this with a huge number of experts. It isn't being done on the back of a fag packet.

“Jobs would also come from decommissioning and some through carbon capture, and some of that is hydrogen.

“We're saying to Labour it's irresponsible to talk about shutting licenses down because one of the things we need is time, we need to build the infrastructure. 30,000 jobs will go from oil and gas by 2030. They'll be gone. If they grasp the next nettle and say they are going to invest properly in Scotland we could have an extension of jobs.

“You either make these choices, or you don't make these choices. And that's why I am absolutely committed that this plan has to be adopted.”

READ MORE: UK Government left red-faced after basic geography blunder

Graham, who took over as head of the union from Len McCluskey (below) in 2021, said: “I am sure people will be thinking, oh just keep quiet, keep your head down, just get them [Labour] in, just get them in, just get them in. The truth of the matter is that workers aren't fools.

“You know, if you want to come into Scotland and take the vote of the Scottish worker, I think people will be open to listening to the Labour offer in Scotland at the moment, I might be wrong, but I think people would be open to listening to it.

“But actually they'd have to have something to vote for.

“Now I've got 1000s of members in oil and gas, we are the biggest union in oil and gas and they are saying to me: ‘What is Labour's plan for my industry?

“This is a moment for Labour to seize the day to say well actually we think this could work you know, take it away, pore it all over. But we [have] to prepare for the cliff edge of oil and gas workers that is literally coming up.

“This is the moment for Labour to be the heroes of the hour.

“I'm the daughter of mining stock. Members of my family are miners, and I've seen what happened to their communities. And I don't want oil and gas workers to become coal miners of our generation and that is where we are heading, quite frankly.”

Job losses 

The Herald previously reported that the nation's oil and gas industry is estimated to have lost tens of thousands more jobs than had been gained from renewables leading to concerns over how the nation’s energy economy is being handled.

The oil and gas industry in Scotland has shed nearly 40% of its jobs amounting to 50,000 in Scotland over a decade, according to industry figures – while the number gained from low-carbon enterprises has risen by just 2500.

READ MORE: 'All roads lead back to Westminster': Labour make major admission on NHS

The Scottish oil and gas jobs loss has come despite the UK Government pressing ahead with new licensing for fossil fuels projects.

Graham added: "My primary job is to lead Unite and to fight for workers, that's the primary job and if I think by pushing Labour into a position to back Scottish workers in oil and gas, I need to do that. There is a moment here where it's a win-win for everybody.

“I mean, let's be clear. I want workers to be treated well. I've got no problem whatsoever being on the naughty step for pushing this stuff. That's my job. And I'm not going to be worried about doing that.

“If Labour pick up that baton, then they get the votes, that's just the reality of it.

“I want a Labour government, I will be putting my cross for Labour. But what people are saying is that they want to hear clear commitments in terms of what they're doing.

“I think Labour could be in a really good position here. Because if they pick this up, it's an absolute solid commitment to Scotland. And we're talking about very small amounts of money. We need to have energy. And Scotland is key. The voters in Scotland are key. We've [got] to commit this to Scotland.”

Labour responds 

More than 10 years ago the Scottish Government was championing the desire to be the green energy capital of Europe with around 28,000 jobs in offshore wind alone by 2020.

Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray (below) said: “The skills and expertise of the North Sea are central to Labour’s plans to make Scotland a clean energy superpower.

“The SNP and the Tories have failed workers time and time again by letting energy jobs go abroad, and they are selling out workers and communities again by leaving the oil and gas industry without a plan.

“It’s absolutely right that there needs to be a comprehensive plan on jobs, and that’s exactly what Labour is offering.

“Working together with workers, industry and trade unions, Labour will deliver the greatest investment in the future of the North Sea in a generation.

READ MORE: Glasgow nightclub forced to cancel gig with 'Goodfellas' ex-mobster after backlash

“Only Labour is committed to unlocking Scotland’s potential as a clean energy superpower and delivering good jobs, lower bills and greater energy security.”

Miliband added: “Labour has a non-negotiable commitment to a proud future for the North Sea. We will deliver the most significant investment in the North Sea in a generation, as we pursue our mission for energy independence and lower bills.

“If the Conservatives in Westminster and the SNP in Holyrood are re-elected, they will continue to sell out workers and communities by leaving the industry without a plan for the future, as they have done for the last 14 years.

“We agree with anyone who says that there needs to be a comprehensive plan- and that is exactly what Labour will deliver with our world-leading agenda: Great British Energy; a national wealth fund; our British jobs bonus; and the new deal for working people.”