Christina McAnea addresses WET conference. Image: Steve Forrest
UNISON’s water, environment and transport (WET) service group conference was held in Liverpool on Sunday.
Several motions focused on the importance of training activists on equality issues, particularly to support Black, migrant and disabled workers.
The WET service group is a sector with many private employers who are not obliged to comply with the public sector equality duty, which is a duty on all public authorities to consider how their policies or decisions affect people who are protected under the Equality Act.
Conference agreed that this is why trade union equality reps, who can negotiate strong equality policies to protect workers, are so important within this sector in particular.
Delegates also passed a motion that commits the union to building on its Organising to Win strategy. They identified UNISON’s Year of Green Activity in 2026 as a strong opportunity to organise new activists and optimise recruitment materials.
Due to climate change, the UK is experiencing more severe weather, which directly impacts the wider population and especially the water workforce.
Rachel Wright from the service group executive spoke passionately about the impact on staff having to deal with the impacts of flooding and drought, and needing to react quickly, at short notice and for long hours.
Ms Wright described how this contributes to workers burning out and is why better workforce planning and risk management is desperately needed across the water sector.
Conference welcomed the presentation at the 2024 WET seminar from the organisation, Violation Tracker UK, which investigates and publicises regulatory infringements from water companies, and publishes the amount they have been ordered to pay in fines. Delegates passed a motion that calls for the union to assess the scope for joint working with the organisation.
Water renationalisation
Water renationalisation was a common theme of the conference, with one motion committing the union to promote UNISON’s recent report Clean water: a case for public ownership.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea also mentioned water renationalisation in her speech to conference.
“UNISON continues to say, loudly and clearly, water must be publicly owned,” she said.
“So must our transport systems, so must the agencies charged with defending the environment and preparing us for climate emergencies.
“Public services should serve people – not markets.”
Ms McAnea thanked the conference delegates for the work that they do, stating, “UNISON’s members in water, environment and transport keep the UK running.
“You keep our communities free from pollution, deliver clean water to our homes and protect thousands of people, as well as wildlife, from the dreadful effects of flooding and drought.
“Environment Agency staff in England, along with colleagues in Natural Resources Wales and SEPA continue to resist chronic underfunding and wage stagnation.
“Time and again, members tell us they’re being told to do more work with fewer resources, concerned that no one will listen until disaster hits.
“You’ve made it perfectly clear: protecting the environment can’t be done on the cheap. Flooding, pollution and the climate crisis can’t be tackled with skeleton staffing, shrinking budgets and underpaid staff.”
Bus services
The final two motions to pass were both on public bus services. A representative from the national young members’ forum made the point that, in the 1980s, some bus fares were as low as 2p per journey.
Over half of young people aged 16-24 use buses every week and two thirds of this age group do not have access to a car. Conference noted that, for many young UNISON members, buses are essential as a cheap, convenient and environmentally friendly way to commute.
Conference committed the union to work with the NEC to highlight the importance of well-funded local bus services staffed by workers on decent terms and conditions, under public control where possible.
The article Climate change and water renationalisation take the lead at 2025 WET conference first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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