Tuesday 1 April 2025
Unite Union demonstrates
against Energy Price Cap
Calder Valley and Halifax Branch of Unite Community, part of Unite the Union, held a protest in Halifax Town Centre on Tuesday 1st April. This was part of the Union's National Day of Action against the rise in the Energy Price cap which will see an increase in electricity cost of over 6 per cent.
April Fools Day is a day of misery for struggling families and poor people as Council Tax and Water Bills rise on the same day heaping further pressure on them.
Energy bills in the UK are already the most expensive in Europe.
Unite Community and Retired members went out to 40 locations across the UK to draw attention to the fact that in the sixth richest economy 8 million people struggle to pay their energy bills and on average 7000 people die each year because they are unable to keep warm in their own homes.
The day of action is part of the Unite Energy 4 All campaign, which has been running since 2023 and calls for the eradication of fuel poverty, and the national control of our energy resources.
We are calling for public ownership of the energy sector as OFGEM has failed to protect consumers from price rises.
Cllr Scott Patient signing one of our postcards to the Prime Minister
demanding action on energy prices
Roger O'Doherty speaking on behalf of the local branch told the HebWeb, "We are not fools. We see what is happening. Our energy and water bills are feeding shareholder profits rather than providing good services. It is time to bring the utilities back into public ownership. We need a war on poverty not a war on the poor."
Unite is also running running the Defend the Winter Fuel Allowance campaign, which demands that the Labour government reinstates the Winter Fuel Payment and is calling for the introduction of a wealth tax to pay for it. There is also an ongoing judicial review brought by Unite against the government on the issue.
The protest was held outside 'Wilcos' from midday.