Trigger Sez... April 2025
Alright comrades,
Trigger here again, back with another update from the Workers’ Transition Panel in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber.
Since the last time we had a natter, we’ve been proper busy – grafting, organising, meeting the suits, and sticking our noses where they don’t always want 'em. But that’s our job, int-it?
First up - A Trip to the Big Smoke… A few of us from the panel headed down south, not for the sunshine, but to take our five demands straight to where the power hides behind polished wood and frothy coffees, Westminster and DESNEZ.
We’ve made it dead clear: workers aren’t asking for scraps – we’re demanding a real say in the transition. Our 5 Asks:
A voice for workers in transition planning- and how about one of you come and get involved in our panel.
A fair and predictable future of energy for our manufactures.
Include us in your Hydrogen debate and decision making.
Fix the foundations with public backing through investment and conditions tied to it – no public money without collective bargaining.
Fair pay and conditions, including protecting skills through retraining and apprenticeships.
We had a proper sit-down with Ed Miliband himself. Yes, that Ed. We talked about what Labour’s plans for energy and transition really mean for working people.
We told Ed: you know where you want to be, we want to be there as well. We can show you how it’s done in the real world, and if Labour wants to win back trust in communities like ours, they’ve got to back WORKERS.
Industrial Strength Reality Checks
We’ve not just been chinwagging in Parliament. We’ve been out on the ground – visiting workplaces across the region to see what a ‘just transition’ actually looks like for real people. From a visit to the glass works to some difficult and frank conversations with bosses talking new tech, we’re learning a lot. But more importantly, we’re asking the awkward questions: who’s benefiting, who’s at risk, and what is your plans for workers?
What’s Next?
We keep going. More workplace visits, more awkward questions, more pushing. We’re building this from the ground up, and we’re not going away. If you’re reading this and you work in the energy or manufacturing sectors, or if you feel your members in your workplace are going to be affected by energy policy and the lack of a clear industrial strategy – get involved.
If you’re a rep – speak up. If you’re a manager – best make sure your plans involve us, we can help.
Till next time,
In Solidarity,
Trigger
Trigger Sez... March 2025
Welcome to the first edition of Trigger Sez, your no-nonsense, straight-talking blog on the GMB Workers Transition Panel for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber.
I’m Trigger (nickname, not job title), and as Chair of the Panel, I’ll be using this space to keep you updated on what’s happening with the transition, how it affects workers like us, and what we’re doing to make sure it’s done with us and not to us.
What is the Workers Transition Panel? If you’re wondering what this is all about, here’s the short version: we’re here to make sure that as the energy industry shifts, workers don’t get left behind.
Too often, decisions about jobs, skills, and the future of work happen in boardrooms with little to no input from the people actually doing the graft. That’s where we step in.
The Workers Transition Panel
The Workers Transition Panel brings together employer representatives, policy makers, MPs, industry voices, and most importantly workers willing to fight for a transition that works for us, not just for a corporate PR spin. This means demanding real investment in jobs, proper training, and ironclad guarantees on pay and conditions, as industries shift towards lower-carbon technologies.
Why This Blog?
Let’s be honest, most workers don’t have time to sift through endless policy documents or listen to politicians talk in circles. This blog will cut through the noise, keeping it plain and practical. I’ll be sharing updates, busting myths, and calling out nonsense where we see it. More importantly, it’ll be a space to bring our voices together, because nothing moves without us, the workers, who keep this country running.
What’s Next?
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be looking at:
The real impact of transition on jobs in our region
What we’re demanding from employers and the government
How you can get involved in shaping the future of work
This transition is happening whether we like it or not. The question is: are we going to have a say in it, or are we going to let it happen to us? Stick around, get involved, and let’s make sure it’s the former.
In Solidarity,
Trigger