ILPC 2027

This proposal will address the role of unions in the transition to a low-carbon economy through two contrasting UK scenarios: In Yorkshire and the Humber, where reducing carbon emissions from the region's heavy industrial belt is supported by an active and growing union voice for a just transition; and the UK motor industry, where a low carbon strategy is urgently needed yet to date union engagement and leadership appears to be otherwise focused. Union density is high in the three sectors in this study: power supply, energy intensive industries such as steel, and the motor industry. Their successful ‘just transition’ is in the long term interest of the labour movement. 

The Yorkshire and Humber Region of the TUC has initiated a task force to confront the challenges of the region’s high carbon emissions from its heavy industrial belt and fossil power stations. As a partner in the ETUC study, Industrial regions and climate policies: towards a just transition, the region’s trade unions now focus on several key questions: Can progress be made to reduce carbon dependence and protect and develop employment? What happens if there is no change? Will these industries have a future in the low-carbon economy? And what new forms of government led industrial policy will take the transition forward?  

Unions have set three key goals: boosting union awareness and engagement, including workplace based awareness raising initiatives; establishing consultations with key employers; and building a regional partnership with industry, local agencies, colleges and community organisations through the Leeds Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The LEP has indicated its strong support, including to engage leading industrialists in the region, whilst also offering the LEP facilities in Leeds for hosting seminars and other events involving union representatives from the industries affected. 
 

Through participant observation, interviews with key players and desk research this paper will provide a state of play on progress towards these goals and identify relevant obstacles within the labour movement; in creating a meaningful dialogue with employers; in establishing a regional low carbon partnership; and in the development of a government-led low carbon industrial policy. 

On the motor industry, neither government nor trade unions appear to have a strategy for the mass production of electric and other low emission vehicles. Yet road transport is responsible for almost a fifth of the UK’s carbon emissions. The Committee on Climate Change advised government that by 2030, 62% of new vehicles registered must be virtually zero carbon –  over 1.5 million – compared with 72,700 electric or hybrids vehicles in 2015 (2.7% of 2.6 million new registrations). Trade unions appear to be understandably preoccupied by the Brexit air of investment uncertainty in the motor industry, at a time when the industry should begin to reinvest, retool and reskill towards a UK-focused low carbon vehicle manufacturing strategy. Through interviews and desk research this section of the paper will assess the current level of trade union awareness and engagement, and what further steps may strengthen their role in the transformation of this key industry. 

The paper will draw out the contrasting positions on awareness, engagement and trade union leadership that emerge from these two case studies and consider recommendations.