Public, democratic ownership of the entire energy network can end
profiteering, make energy affordable for all, and create new jobs
in a sustainable industry, says Unite.
TUC congress has thrown its weight behind Unite’s campaign for
full public, democratic ownership of the energy network in the
interests of workers and our communities.
Public ownership of energy could have saved the UK nearly £45bn
in 2022, over £1,800 per household (see notes to editors).
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham called on directly to take
action: “Our economy is broken. Energy privatisation has
failed – pure and simple. It has crippled our communities and
what remains of our industrial base. Labour needs to back Britain
and bring our energy into public hands.”
“And don’t let anyone tell you we can’t afford it. It would
cost just £90 billion. We are a two trillion-pound economy. Of
course, its affordable. It’s a choice.”
“It does seem that our politicians are pro-nationalisation,
as long as it’s another country owning it.”
Speaking about the strategy of defending and extending collective
bargaining as the primary way workers can challenge profiteering
and economic inequality for ourselves, Sharon Graham
said: “At Unite we have had more than 900 disputes
covering over 200,000 Unite members just in the last 18
months.”
“Unite has won over 80 per cent of those disputes and put
more than £400 million pounds back into workers’ wallets. Backed
by a strike fund of over £30 million, Unite has put our money
where our mouth is and backed members in dispute by all and every
means.”
“But when the crisis began, we were told to back off. That
workers asking for a pay rise was a national disgrace. That it
was driving up inflation. We were told this by the same people
who clapped like seals before the last financial crash. A crash
they never saw coming.
“We won’t take any lessons from the pied pipers of the
establishment because it wasn’t wages pushing up inflation, it
was rampant profiteering on an unprecedented scale.”
