Unison leader says public sector workers treated as afterthought compared to North Sea oil jobs

**Unison general secretary Andrea Egan has accused the government of treating public sector workers as an afterthought compared with the political focus on North Sea oil and gas jobs, calling for equal investment in NHS, education and care services.**

Egan said public sector workers were often an “afterthought” for ministers, while the North Sea industry received “massive political focus”. She highlighted recent job cuts across local government, the NHS and education, contrasting them with the government’s decision to approve the Jackdaw gasfield after pressure from fossil‑fuel interests and right‑wing politicians. The move sparked anger among climate campaigners, scientists and many Labour supporters, who argue that extracting more fossil fuels will worsen the climate crisis and do little to reduce bills or improve energy security. A final government decision on the more controversial Rosebank oilfield is expected before the end of the year.

After Wednesday’s budget, which factored the project’s approval into its forecasts, the Guardian revealed that some Labour MPs were lobbying Andy Burnham and John Healey not to overrule Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh if she decided to block Rosebank. Egan called the Jackdaw approval “a serious misstep” that sent the wrong signal about the UK’s climate commitments. She urged ministers to focus on creating secure, well‑paid jobs in the renewable sector for oil and gas workers and to give similar support to the millions of public‑sector employees.

“It's time for the government to get its priorities straight: invest in clean energy, invest in the public services that communities rely on – to the benefit of us all,” she said.

There is a split among the UK’s main trade unions on allowing more drilling. Unite and GMB, which represent many oil and gas workers, back additional licences, while Unison and the National Education Union oppose further drilling as part of a drive to create long‑term sustainable jobs and tackle the climate crisis. One concern is that renewable‑sector jobs are often not unionised, making them less secure and lower paid than traditional oil and gas roles.

Last week Unison announced a new recognition deal with Octopus Energy, a progressive firm focused on renewable energy. The GMB union had been seeking recognition at Octopus, but the company said Unison “stood out for its commitment to the energy transition.” Egan described the agreement as an important step toward securing good, secure jobs in the renewable sector. “Unison is proud to be leading the way as the clean energy union. We urgently need more well‑paid, unionised jobs and to transition away from fossil fuels at pace. This agreement is a step in the right direction on both counts.”

Source: The Guardian Business.