Fracking Breaks the Mold – GMB Union’s Pitch for a Self‑Sufficient Energy Future
Why The UK’s Shift on Fracking Is More Than a Policy Flip‑Switch
Picture this: the UK hits the pause button on its gas imports and starts tapping into its own shale reserves. GMB Union says that could mean thousands of solid jobs and a fresh path away from outsiders—especially the United States, which had been shipping fracked gas to Britain.
Key Numbers from the 2021 Gas Trade
- UK imported 7.5% of its natural gas from the U.S.
- Almost all of that was fracked gas.
- Every pipeline from the “Shale Queen” comes with a promise of top‑tier environmental, safety, and employment standards.
Andy Prendergast’s Take: “A Clean Break From Hypocrisy”
“Lifting the fracking ban could create thousands of good jobs and end the UK’s gross hypocrisy of happily using shale gas as long as it was fracked elsewhere.” Prendergast says that ends the double‑standard of whacking everyone’s gas concerns as long as the extraction happens overseas.
Why Now Is the Moment
- Global instability since Ukraine’s invasion is stressing the energy grid.
- We’ve seen gas storage shut down and 8 out of 9 nuclear plants slated for closure in the next decade.
- Fracking, if proven safe for workers and local communities, offers a “piece of the puzzle” to lift the current crisis.
GMB’s Blueprint: Jobs, Union Power, and Carbon‑Free Commitments
GMB wants an industry that doesn’t just pump out gas, but creates unionised, quality jobs and reinvests profits in long‑term, carbon‑neutral solutions—those neat paths we need to hit net‑zero.
What The Union Wants From Policymakers
- Strict environmental and safety regulations that match the best global standards.
- Job training programs that turn workers into skilled owners of the future energy landscape.
- Clear communication that the shift is about the UK’s welfare—no more outsourcing our energy security.
Bottom Line
GMB Union argues fracking could be the missing piece that lets the UK go full circle—making the energy supply self‑contained, the workforce continue to thrive, and the planet move closer to a zero‑emission horizon. Let’s see if policymakers take the plunge. Ready to doodle your energy future?
