Unite for a Workers' Economy campaign

‘Tories sold the family silver. Let’s get it back and own Britain's future again’

After the Tories left us with the lowest investment in G7 countries, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham says the time is now to invest in Britain and create a viable future for industry 

The last Tory government left the country in a mess. Of that there is no doubt. Record NHS waiting lists, nowhere near enough teachers, crumbling infrastructure, millions without a home of their own and record energy prices. A catalogue of misery.

But that government is gone and it’s now Labour’s job, whether fairly or not, to pick up the pieces and deliver the change that was promised. Progress has been made. At long last the old fiscal rules have been binned to free up more cash, but now better choices need to happen. Starting with serious public investment to mend our broken services and economy... read the full details.

Defend the Winter Fuel Payment

The Labour government’s plan to slash entitlement to Winter Fuel Payment has shocked millions of UK pensioners.

In response, Unite for a Workers’ Economy is supporting our Retired Members Committee with a national campaign to defend the Winter Fuel Payment. If enough of us take action, we can change the government’s plans and help all our pensioners keep warm this winter.

Campaign films

When pensioners are under attack, Unite fights back!

• Join our campaign today
• Sign the Wealth tax petition - Tax the rich to pay for winter fuel
• Read more about the Unite for a Workers' Economy campaign and actions to save Winter Fuel Payment so far

Northern Ireland win

Unite has been leading the campaign for the UK government to reverse its decision to cut winter fuel payments, and for devolved governments to use their powers to alleviate the damage this cut will cause. We welcomed the announcement by the Northern Ireland Executive that it will provide partial support for affected pensioners. Read the full press release - Winter Fuel: Northern Ireland government delivers on Unite’s call to reverse cuts

Winter Fuel rally & day of action 

Over 100 pensioners came together outside of Scottish Parliament at Holyrood on 3rd December to demand the return of their Winter Fuel Allowance, ahead of a vote on Scottish Labour’s amendment to reinstate the payment later that day. The amendment failed to pass, as SNP MSPs voted against, with Green and Liberal Democrat MSPs abstaining. 

Retired Members branches, from the Borders to Inverness, assembled to call on the Scottish government to reverse Winter Fuel Allowance cuts, arguing that the SNP’s proposed £100 payment for pensioner households does not go far enough. We were also joined by Unite Community, Scottish Pensioners’ Forum and Fife Trades Union Council.

30 November 2024 day of action 

Unite was blown away by the field work that took place across England and Scotland  to mark our Day of Action on 30 November 2024, calling for the Winter Fuel Payment to be reinstated. Unite Community branches were essential in mobilising for street stalls up and down the country, alongside Retired Members branches and organisers from Unite for a Workers’ Economy. 

Fighting for Winter Fuel in Doncaster

In Doncaster, Unite for a Workers' Economy organised a rally outside of the city’s Mansion House. Labour MPs Ed Miliband (Doncaster North), Sally Jameson (Doncaster Central), Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme) and John Healey (Rawmarsh and Conisbrough) were all invited to address the crowd, but none of them attended. In 2025 we’ll be continuing to fight in Ed Miliband’s constituency, consulting local people on Ofgem and how the regulator’s price cap is pushing them further into fuel poverty. 

Oil & Gas | No ban without a plan 

As of January 16 2025, more than half of MSPs have backed Unite’s North Sea oil and gas No Ban Without a Plan campaign.

Out of 129 MSPs, 65 from Labour, the Conservatives, the SNP and Alba have now signed the commitment below, pledging to call on the UK government to ensure:

•    Oil and gas workers do not become the coal miners of this generation. We need to ensure adequate investment so that workers are not made to pay the price for the transition to greener energy.
•    Entire communities are not left to face unemployment and devastation. These types of transitions must have workers at their heart. This time around, there must be a rock-solid, cast-iron plan for jobs.
•    Climate change is a threat to humanity, but it cannot be the workers, who lose out in the transition.

We need a concrete plan and serious investment. Unite has a plan to create 35,000 commensurate new energy transition jobs in Scotland by 2030. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The majority of MSP’s are clear that Labour needs to reverse its irresponsible policy banning all new oil and gas licenses irrespective of the impact on jobs. It is madness to do this without a viable plan including concrete equivalent jobs for North Sea workers and real assurances on energy security. We must not let go of one lifeline until we’ve got hold of another. Unite won’t sit back and let workers be abandoned – there must be a workers’ transition to net zero.” 

• Union campaign to save oil worker jobs receives backing from over 70 politicians - Energy Voice (£) - January 2025
• How North Sea union leaders' 'No Ban Without a Plan' campaign is starting to work - The Scotsman - January 2025

Grangemouth rally

In November 2024, Grangemouth refinery workers, oil and gas workers, Unite for a Workers’ Economy and Unite organisers staged a march and rally in Edinburgh at the Scottish parliament in protest at plans by Petroineos to close the Grangemouth refinery. Petroineos announced in September 2024 that it intends to close Grangemouth (Scotland’s only oil refinery) in the second quarter of 2025, with the loss of 400 directly employed workers and thousands more in the supply chain.

Unite has produced a detailed plan which demonstrates how Grangemouth can be converted into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel facility, before further developing into a full bio-fuels outlet. The creation of a SAF facility is entirely in line with UK government policies. Unite’s research has found that converting an existing refinery is 30–70 per cent cheaper than building a new facility.  Unite’s report also highlights serious concerns about Petroineos’ lack of transparency and a lack of evidence from the company about the need to close the refinery. Unite’s report further details how Petroineos has a conflict of interest. The company is half owned by PetroChina which is ramping up its own production of SAFs and would look to import them to the UK. These plans have been presented to government, and the fight to save Scotland’s last oil refinery continues. 

Find out more on Unite's Oil & Gas | No ban without a plan campaign