Aberdeen TUC

Presentation given by Steven Gray

Aberdeen’s industrial context

  • 500 miles from London; 200 miles from Glasgow and Edinburgh. On the coast of the North East Atlantic. 

  • 200,000 people living in Aberdeen, with a quarter of a million living in Aberdeenshire.

  • Oil boom transformed economy of the area, often in negative ways such as driving up house prices near the coast.

  • Aberdeen is moving more to the gig economy, and only real growth is fast food outlets. Employment in the oil and gas industry is declining - only about 20,000 people in North-Eastern Scotland still in the industry. More people in the NHS, local government, university, etc than in the fossil fuel industry.

  • But, cuts to local government and universities - including courses relevant for just transition.

  • From 3 miles offshore, UK employment law doesn’t apply. Impacts offshore workers, even a local ferry operator tried to claim this meant they didn’t need to provide sick pay or other employment benefits - they lost this case.

  • Discrimination and inequality for migrant workers in the offshore sector.

  • 7,000 people employed in renewables. Conditions are not good and the pay is about half of what oil and gas workers get.

  • Employers and training agencies maintain a different ‘passport’ for working in renewables versus on oil rigs. Each one costs £4,000-5,000.

Aberdeen TUC

  • Local TUC has existed since the 19th century. Has always had an internationalist outlook, for example sending people to fight in the Spanish Civil War and taking part in anti-nuclear and anti-apartheid struggles.

  • Just transition committee and reports, which the Trades Council has contributed to but the Scottish government doesn’t follow through.

  • Aberdeen TUC worked with the STUC to produce a report on Climate Hazards and Resilience in the Workplace, following a deadline landslide which killed rail workers.

  • Passed a motion through the STUC to campaign for a maximum working temperature.

Local climate impacts

  • Major storms hitting Aberdeenshire, leading to flooding which destroyed people’s homes. In 2018/19 there was a drought leading to hundreds of rural properties being without water for 10 months. Impacted farming as well as whisky distilleries. Storm Babette in 2023 cut transport networks completely for days.

  • 19th century infrastructure not geared up for 21st century storms.

Key points from Q&A and discussion

  • What are the barriers to getting more Trades Council delegates involved? Workplaces are under pressure both in offshore sector and in the public sectors with cuts and attacks on conditions. Reps are sometimes too busy with these issues to devote time to wider just transition work.

  • NESCAN has funding and has hired people to do just transition planning. But feeling that trade unions and elected local government are being pushed to one side in this work.

  • Importance of getting the workers’ perspective into these processes.

  • Is there an appetite to organise around the skills passport? Platform has been campaigning on this.

  • Further discussion on the impact of storms and extreme weather. Some local work has been done on preparedness, e.g. converting village halls to community hubs which can be used in emergencies.

  • Question raised about the impact of AI on public services, as well as the use of huge amounts of water and energy for server farms. STUC has upcoming motions on AI.

Resources and links