Energy
EPSU represents workers in public and private electricity and gas companies. Our members work in generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity and gas. Nuclear energy, hydro, coal-fired stations, renewables, energy trading, it holds no mystery for our members.
EPSU has developed several positions on energy issues.
![]() | Read the statement of the European social partners in the electricity sector EURELECTRIC - EPSU - EMCEF: ’For Health and Safety in the Electricity Industry’, December 2006 |
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Parliament’s Vote on ownership unbundling disappointing
Unions consider cooperation between regional TSOs in West European Region
ETUC and public company employers joint declaration for climate change
To read the joint declaration:
or go to the ETUC (...)
Hungarian electricity unions: agreement reached
EPSU tells Economic and Social Committee: Jobs, democracy and domestic users at the centre
We are not in favour of ownership unbundling. The previous measures are only just implemented. And (...)
Price hikes in UK energy and fuel poverty: unions demand investigation
Energy sector trade unions support warning strike in Vattenfall
“We support the warning strike that’s taking place between 7am and 11am on Friday 1 February. After three rounds of negotiations, the employer should make a much better offer and that means a straight pay (...)
Workshop on future of industrial relations in the energy sector
For the documents in English - French - German - (...)
Baltic and Ukrainian unions concerned about building new nuclear power station in Lithuania
Gloves come off on Unbundling
Take account of our view says Gas sector to Commission: Address social consequences
KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON IS SOCIALIST AIM
The Group said that in the run-up to adoption by Parliament of the European Commission’s energy market package it would also fight for a regulatory framework to allow network investment that would "keep the lights on in Europe." This would cover grid access and planning procedures for new and renewable (...)
Baltic Energy Representatives call Latvian EU Energy Commissioner’s plans “More Unraveling than Unbundling”
Government, Company, Trade Union and Energy Regulator combine in opposition to EU energy plans for unbundling
Sceptisicm over impact of third liberalisation package by social partners
Proposals for liberalising the European energy market fail to meet the real challenges
Yesterday, the European Commission published its plans for liberalising European energy. In the name of consumer protection, it continues in the pursuit of liberalisation of the European energy market at all costs. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) believes that this liberalisation drive fails to meet the real energy challenges facing Europe.
In the view of the ETUC, the Commission’s legislative package runs counter to the objectives of protecting the most (...)
Action plan to confront 3rd package internal market electricity and gas
the proposals to strengthen the national and European regulator - including the creation of an Agency of European regulators;
to oblige the traders to be transparent as regards their deals to prevent manipulation of wholesale markets;
a stronger role of the European Network of Transmission System Operators and
proposals for (...)
EU Energy “Ownership Unbundling” plans throws workers in dark
(Brussels, 19 September) The proposed changes to the directives on the Internal Market for Electricity and Gas, unveiled by the European Commission today, force restructuring in the electricity and gas industry. Astonishingly, the Commission has not seen fit to articulate any specific provisions to protect EU energy workers against these radical changes.
Although there is little evidence that it will bring reduced prices for Europe’s citizens and (...)
Keynes on why competition in electricity and other network industries doesnot work
Results of ETUC Climate Change and Employment study now available
A stable framework needed say electricity employers and trade unions
Take workers’ and citizens’ interests into account in EU-Russia Energy Dialogue
Towards an European Works Council in Italian energy company ENEL
Public Services and European energy policy at Verdi Conference
The EPSU Deputy General Secretary addressed the Conference welcoming the proposals to fully participate in the campaign to obtain a million signatures for the petition. We need your support. You can be the ambassadors of another Europe in which not markets and profits are central but in which people take (...)
“DevelopingSocial Dialogue in the SEE Energy community - MoU and the Social Forum", 7-8 June
"Developing Social Dialogue in the SEE Energy community - MoU and the Social Forum”
Sofia, 7-8 June, 2007
The process of setting up of the regional SEE Energy Community has been completed and in operation since 2006. ETUI-REHS, EPSU/PSI and PERC are organising a regional workshop to develop a trade union strategy for the role of the trade unions in the SEE energy community. The workshop is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and (...)
Bulgarian energy workers do not see benefits of liberalisation
Power cuts
Short termism of management;
Lack of investment in technical equipment;
Certain social (vulnerable) groups and regions are poorly connected and do not receive electricity. More people can not afford heating and are cut off.
Production has decreased, and exports to neighboring countries decreased, driving up prices in many (...)
European Gas Social Dialogue heats up: joint criticism of unbundling and impact assessment
Skepticism on ownership unbundling at EPSU Energy Conference: think twice before you act.

EPSU/ SDA European Energy Conference, 1 & 2 March 2007
EPSU European Energy Conference - contributions
European Works Councils - Internal market and European energy policy: Mergers, Restructuring and Outsourcing - Common perspectives and responses
1 March - 2 March 2007, International Trade Union House - Auditorium, Boulevard du Roi Albert II, no. 5, 1210 Brussels
Start: 9.00 - 1 March 2007 End - 16.00 - 2 March 2007
International Trade Union House Auditorium 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels
Read a short report of the conference
Draft (...)
Successful action of Roumanian electricity unions
EPSU unions achieve major success: Council reaches no agreement on ownership unbundling
Council members reached no agreement over the Commission’s proposals on ownership unbundling. Last minute lobbying efforts of EPSU unions born fruit with governments and convinced several Member States that ownership unbundling is not a priority. First the provisions of the Directives should be (...)
Employment study shows: further joblosses because of internal market
The employers and the unions agreed to draw (...)
Sztrájk in Hungarian energy: EPSU warns for disruption as Hungarian government shuns compromise
(8 February 2007): action a success - read the preliminary agreement
(6 February 2007) Update: Hungarian strike in electricity a success. The two hour strike of EPSU affilaite VdSzSz and other unions is a big success. Participation in the strike varies between 65 and 95% of workers according to the work place. Many non-unionised workers have joined the action. Production has been reduced with 200-300 MW. A big achievement for our Hungarian colleagues that sends a powerful message to the government.
Sztrájk in Hungarian Energy - Energy workers express solidarity
EPSU calls on European Council: Focus on real problems and reject Commission’s forced ownership unbundling
The European Commission published its energy package 10 January 2007. It addresses many issues including climate change. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) supports addressing climate change. EPSU is critical of the hardcore of the energy package which is to continue to create the internal market for electricity and gas. A key issue is to force ownership unbundling. EPSU affiliated unions met to discuss this and other proposals, 19 January 2007, Brussels.
Sven Bergelin, President of the EPSU Standing Committee Public Utilities argues: “The ownership unbundling proposals of the Commission will increase prices, will risk investments and are a slap in the face of those companies who implemented legal unbundling as the law prescribes. The Commission changes the rules of the game again after only three years. And once again nothing on the social consequences. Unacceptable. We ask the Council to reject these proposals.”
Венгерский профсоюз VdSzSz проведет забастовку 6 февраля
Verdi energy demonstration 7 February 2007, Berlin
The union protests the tough targets for reductions of costs, including personel, demanded by the network regulator. These lead to massive job losses. It also targets overly severe targets for Co2 reductions and emission trading with no social perspective and it protests against the forced ownership unbundling; the European Commission is advocating. (...)
Ad Hoc EPSU Strategy meeting on Ownership Unbundling, 19 January
Conférence Européenne de l’Énergie FSESP/SDA, 1 & 2 Mars 2007
EGÖD/SDA Europäische Energiekonferenz, 1. März - 2. März 2007
Draft study confirm negative impact liberalisation on electricity employment
CAPGEMINI report on electricity shortages underlines EU energy policy faultlines
"Radical overhaul needed to reverse EU-wide trends"
(Brussels, 13 October, 2006) CAPGEMINI reported on the risk of electricity shortages in Europe yesterday. Its report confirms that the internal market for electricity and gas has failed to deliver on its goals. It is the latest in a series of reports that demonstrate that liberalisation does not work for the electricity sector.
New research highlights major flaws in European Commission energy policy
Press Communication: Brussels, 21 September (immediate release)
“Price volatility will lead to ‘intolerable life’ for consumers”.
On the eve of the European Commission Public Hearing on European Energy Policy new research from the University of Greenwich reveals that the continued short-comings of the EU energy market are ‘structurally inherent’ and cannot be repaired by more competition, as European Commission President Barosso would wish (...).EPSU meets Finnish Energy Presidency
The European Commission needs to develop a plan B that ensures that citizens and business are protected from the consequences of the internal market for electricity and gas which clearly does not bring lower prices nor more investments, argued Jan Willem Goudriaan EPSU Deputy General Secretary in a meeting with the EU Energy Presidency Finnish Minister Pekkarinen, 12 September 2006 (...)Heating or Eating? Public Hearing on the Commission’s Green Paper on Energy Policy
(12 September 2006) Consumers and Environment pressure groups took the chance to point to the blind spots of the Commission’s conception of competition in electricity and gas. Skyrocketing energy prices, caused by UK style liberalisation, forces less well off people ‘to choose between heating and eating’, it was said. Critics also called for a proper concept for an external energy policy and for more emphasis to be laid on renewables and energy efficiency (...)Energy issues high on ETUC Working Group on Sustainable Development
A study on climate change policy, climate change and employment. The study is carried out by Syndex, Wuppertal Institute and others. It considers a number of scenarios and what the effects can be on different sectors (such as production of electricity) including in terms of employment. An important part of the study includes the technological development in the energy and transport system, what are already realistic options and what can be expected to be (...)
Unions criticise European Commission Green Paper on Energy
Профсоюзы критикуют Зеленую книгу по энергетике Европейской Комиссии
European and US unions join forces and confront EON’s hiring pratices
(Brussels 29 March, 2006) Energy Trade Unions from European and the USA today announced joint action to confront German energy giant EON. The Energy company has reneged on its pledge to hire unionized workers. It is this u-turn on hiring union workers that has provoked the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) into action.US union stages protests against Eon
High level Group on Competitiveness, Energy and the Environment
(5 April 2006) The European Commission established the high level group to address issues where competitiveness, energy and environmental policies inter-relate. It has a mandate for two years. There are 4 Commissioners, representatives of several governments, industry, regulators, competition authorities, environmental organisations and the social partners. The ETUC is represented by the (...)
Gas workers strike against merger Suez and Gas de France
To read more (in French):
Profile of Russian Gas Giant Gazprom
For the (...)
European electricity and gas employment research project
EPSU stressed the importance to consider the issue of outsourcing. The study will now move into its second phase in which companies and social partners will be receiving a questionnaire and selected cases will be considered. The next meeting of the steering committee will be in June and a Workshop/ (...)
German unions fight outsourcing in Swedish energy company Vattenfall - Strike action threatened
The European energy sector is in profound turmoil. Already 50 billion Euro’s have been squandered on take-overs and mergers, and not returned to society in lower prices, more investments and more jobs. According to EPSU research more then 300.000 jobs have gone in the electricity sector. After slashing jobs, companies now turn on their remaining employees to extract more profits out of them. A recent example is Vattenfall Europe, (...)
A Genuine European energy policy must mean genuine consultation
A Genuine European energy policy must mean genuine consultation “New EU energy policy initiative must reflect concerns of ALL stakeholders and not just big energy companies”
Subject : EPSU reaction to Green Paper on European Energy Policy
(Brussels, 7 March, 2006) Tomorrow sees the publication by the European Commission of the Green Paper on European Energy Policy. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (...)
Электричество и газ в Европе Конкуренция не действует!
Три года тому назад Европейский Союз принял директивы, согласно (...)
ENERGY SECTOR INQUIRY
Commission does not address employment issues !
In a hallucinating public presentation European Commissioner Kroes says: The internal market electricity and gas does not work. Hence we need more of it.
In a meeting packed with representatives of the energy sector, big business and corporate lawyers, European Commissioner for Competition presented the findings of the energy sector inquiry. The findings confirm what EPSU has been (...)
European Energy Policy: employment, sustainable development, democracy first
The EPSU Deputy General Secretary further addressed the (...)
Climate change, energy policy and employment
Electricity social dialogue committee: a full programme of work in 2006
KEEP THE LIGHTS ON ! NE COUPEZ PAS LE JUS ! HOUD DE LICHTEN AAN ! LICHTER AN !
1500 energy workers descended on Brussels 1 December 2005. They gave a vocal signal to the European energy ministers who are meeting today: Keep the lights on. Stop the deregulation madness. In the light of mounting evidence illustrating problems the ministers are considering progress with the internal market for electricity and gas. A Commission evaluation report is on top of the agenda.
A delegation from the European (...)
Many unions support energy action
Call to participate in an Energy Action, 1 December, Brussels
Keep the Lights On - Now and in the Future
Show Europe’s Energy Ministers our Voice
Energy Action, 1 December, Brussels
Action d’énergie, 1er décembre 2005, Bruxelles
Energieactie, 1 december 2005, Brussel
Aufruf zur Beteiligung an einer Energiemaßnahme 1. Dezember 2005, Brüssel
Europe’s Energy Ministers will meet on the 1st December in Brussels. EPSU wants to be present. We ask you to send a delegation to an EPSU (...)
KEEP THE LIGHTS ON !
Immediate release, 28 November 2005 The European Federation of Public Service Unions, EPSU, organises a demonstration 1 December 2005, Brussels. 1500 or more workers are expected to descend on Brussels to make their voice heard. The Council of Ministers for Energy meets that day. The ministers are considering progress with the internal market for electricity and gas. A Commission evaluation report is on top of the agenda. The trade union message:
Keep the (...)
Union action stepped up for social pillar in Energy Community
Read (...)
European Integration - Education Module
Joint action: energy unions mobilise for Energy Council, 1 December, Brussels
European Energy Commissioner addresses EPSU Conference
Participants critically questioned the Commissioner on the benefits for citizens, large industry, workers. The Commissioner committed to an ongoing dialogue with EPSU and challenged the (...)
EPSU meets President of EU Energy Council: UK Minister Malcolm Wicks
Evaluation of the internal market (...)
Energy unions discuss way forward with European Parliamentarians
Contributions to the EPSU Energy Conference
Preparing for the European Evaluation of the Internal Market(*) OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE International Trade Union House, 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, Brussels 09h00-16h30
For more information on European integration and the education work of EPSU read here
Day 1: Thursday, 3 November 2005
Opening/ Welcome/ Objectives
President of the EPSU Standing Committee Public Utilities, Sven Bergelin, (...)
Energy competition: few benefit and many drawbacks
Workers in EDF UK vote for industrial action
Liberalisation hurts growth says new EPSU commissioned report
Lack of dialogue over privatisation of utility could trigger industrial unrest
(19 September 2005) The Macedonian government has decided to privatise the electricity company of Macedonia ESM. 90% of the shares should be sold. Several foreign investors have indicated their interest. The process takes place without consultation of the trade unions. No social guarantees (...)
Gli effetti della liberalizzazione del mercato elettrico in Italia
Sommario
Si vuole dimostrare come le novitŕ legislative introdotte in Italia, a seguito della direttiva europea 96/92/CE, non accompagnate da scelte adeguaste di politica energetica, non hanno determinato una riduzione del prezzo dell’energia elettrica per i consumatori finali e un miglioramento della qualitŕ e della fruibilitŕ del servizio e delle condizioni di sicurezza degli (...)
Restructuring contributed to US Black-Out, August 2003
Before implementing a new market design, ensure and demonstrate that the design’s impacts on the reliable operation (...)
ETUC Balkan forum supports social dimension in Energy Treaty
Declaration
of the Regional Conference of the ETUC Balkans Trade Union Forum Brussels, 18 June 2005
The leaders and experts of the representative trade union organization from South Eastern Europe participating in the Conference expressed their concern over the lack of clear social dimension in the initialed Treaty establishing an Energy Community in SEE and welcome the proposal for a Memorandum on the social aspects of the energy (...)
ETUC Balkans Forum considers South East European Energy Treaty
EPSU delegation meets Energy Commissioner, 23 March
I welcome the dialogue with the trade unions." For more please see our press release
Russian and Ukrainian unions explore electricity reform
EPSU Comments on the proposed indicators for the 2004-2005 Benchmarking Report
Omissions
It is essential in evaluating the Commission’s proposed indicators for the 2004-2005 Benchmarking Report to know which, if any, indicators that were included in the 3rd report will not be included in the 4th report. This is not clear from the presentation of the indicators on the Commission’s website.
For example, Table 2 in the 2004 Benchmarking report covered ‘Competences and Resources of Regulators’. No mention is made of this in ‘Implementation of (...)
Emerging skills gap a big problem for energy sector says Dutch Presidency
European Energy and Transport Forum meets in new composition
EPSU transnational charter also in Russian
Joint declaration Romanian and Italian unions in Enel (30 June 2004)
One of these company is the Italian electricity (...)
European Energy Unions sign Transnational Solidarity Accord (15 June 2004)
EPSU delegates have unanimously agreed a transnational solidarity accord for the European Electricity and Gas sectors at their Congress today. The accord states that Companies who violate social standards, or companies that do not sign the appropriate collective agreement for the Electricity sector, will be targeted by all EPSU energy unions.
EPSU’s energy affiliates will engage in a solidarity campaign to ensure compliance of the company with these standards. (...)


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