Phasing out coal was a brutal and profound process. Organised labour was decimated, entire regions were forced into decline, and communities were left with sustained economic, social and health problems.
The general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, noted that without a more thorough plan, the policy risked creating "the coal miners of our generation." A recent motion at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called for no ban on oil and gas licensing before a fully funded jobs guarantee is agreed.
Workers and unions are demanding a "just transition" from polluting industries into the clean industries of the future. But to achieve this, the U.K. government must learn from what happened with coal.
Many places still rely on oil and gas jobs. Although oil and gas are not as embedded throughout British life as coal once was, there are many settlements and larger areas still dependent on energy jobs.
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