Ten unions including UNISON, Fire Brigades Union and National Education Union have written to the government calling on them to act in the long term interest of the public
- The signatories warn that approving the field would undermine the UK’s climate commitments, fail workers and risk contributing to human rights abuses abroad.
- More than 1,900 trade unionists have signed on to the letter, following a year of climate action backed by the TUC.
- The field, which has faced mounting opposition, will produce CO2 equivalent to 70 percent of UK annual emissions and do nothing to lower bills.
Trade union leaders, representatives and activists from across the UK are calling on the Labour government to reject the proposed Rosebank oil field, warning it would undermine climate commitments, fail workers in the long term, and risk contributing to human rights abuses abroad.
Major unions including UNISON, the National Education Union (NEU), Fire Brigades Union, PCS, CWU, UCU, Equity, BFAWU, UVW and IWGB, and more than 1,900 additional trade unionists have published the open letter today, following a year of union climate action backed by the TUC post COP30.
The unions, who represent firefighters, ambulance staff, network management in gas sector, teachers, nurses, cleaners, civil servants and more , stress that Rosebank is a ‘climate-wrecking project’ set to produce CO2 equivalent to 70 percent of UK annual emissions - making it incompatible with the UK’s obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.
The signatories also argue that approving Rosebank will stall the UK’s energy transition and leave Scotland’s oil and gas workers at risk.
Jobs in the industry have more than halved over the past decade. To date, Rosebank’s rig was built in Dubai, then retrofitted in Norway - something which unions have called a betrayal.
The trade unionists behind the letter stress that the UK must focus on the long term wellbeing of workers and invest in the clean energy industries of the future - creating secure, long-term jobs to support workers to transition.
Rosebank has faced increasingly intense political and public opposition in recent years, given the field will do nothing to provide energy security or lower bills in the UK at a time when the nation gears up for yet another conflict-driven price shock.
Despite repeated claims made since Trump’s war in Iran began, new oil and gas fields like Rosebank will not reduce the UK’s reliance on gas imports. In fact, even if Rosebank is given the green light, it will only reduce our national dependency by one percent.
The field’s reserves are mainly oil for export, set to be sold on the international market. They will not power British cars or industry, with the profits benefiting Shell and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund while the UK taxpayer effectively covers most of the development costs thanks to huge tax breaks.
The project could also send over £200m towards Delek Group - an Israeli fuel conglomerate that has been flagged by the UN for human rights violations in Palestine. The UK government has been warned by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign that it risks breaching its own obligations under international laws on these grounds, should it allow Rosebank to go ahead.
With a government decision expected over the next couple of months, unionists are urging more members and organisations to sign on. You can read the letter in full here.
Andrea Egan, General Secretary of Unison commented:
"With the Iran war, UNISON members are more worried than ever about their energy bills and transport costs. New oil fields won't do anything to reduce the prices they pay in the coming months; they will delay action for real energy security and climate justice through a shift to renewables.
"At the same time, the likelihood that Rosebank will lead to significant losses for the UK Treasury, while corporations, including one linked to Israeli war crimes, pocket billions, should outrage us all. I know it outrages public service workers.
"The government needs a genuine focus on how we get affordability now, get a safe and sustainable future, and get real just transition for workers. This starts with investing in those public services that pave the way to a low carbon economy and recognising that jobs in Education, Health, Social Care alongside the many other sectors UNISON organise in are inherently Green jobs.
"That's why UNISON says no to Rosebank."
Steve Wright, General Secretary of the FBU said:
“Firefighters are on the front line dealing with the wildfires and floods which are more frequent and dangerous because of climate change. There is no option for a safe future other than a transition away from fossil fuels. We also know that companies extracting oil and gas from Rosebank would sell their product at the highest price on the global market to maximise profits. So the way to shield the UK from future oil price shocks is not North Sea drilling but a transition to renewable energy.”
Sarah Woolley, General Secretary of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union commented:
“Whether it's working in kitchens in heatwaves or seeing climate change contribute to rising food prices our members can see that climate change is a trade union issue. The government can choose to expand North Sea drilling by approving Rosebank and funnelling more money to oil company shareholders, or they can focus on solutions to tackle the climate crisis, create jobs and ensure our energy is affordable.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The following unions added their collective voices to the statement:
UNISON: UNISON represents over 1.3 million members across the public sector, including in the NHS, social care, local government and education.
NEU (National Education Union): NEU represents close to 500,000 teachers and school staff.
PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union): PCS represents around 170,000 members across the UK civil service.
CWU (Communication Workers Union): CWU represents around 170,000 workers in postal delivery, telecoms and tech.
UCU (University and College Union): UCU represents around 120,000 teachers, academics and support staff in universities, colleges and prisons.
Equity: Equity represents close to 50,000 workers in the performing arts and entertainment.
FBU (Fire Brigades Union): FBU represents over 30,000 firefighters, emergency control room staff and other fire and rescue workers.
BFAWU (Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union): BFAWU represents around 15,000 workers in food and other sectors.
IWGB (Independent Workers Union of Greater Britain): IWGB represents over 9,000 workers, many in precarious employment and the “gig economy”.
UVW (United Voices of the World): UVW represents over 4,000 workers, many in precarious employment and the “gig economy”.