The green transition needed to achieve international climate goals requires phasing out petroleum and phasing in renewable energy.
This green transition affects working life and the cooperation between the social partners, and challenges the interests of petroleum workers. They are at risk of losing their jobs or the content of their jobs may change, but they may also be particularly qualified for new jobs in green energy.
Oil workers have been at the center of climate and industrial policy debates. While they are assumed to be vulnerable in transitions, they are a powerful interest group that—through their unions, confederations, and social partnerships—have strong influence on climate and industrial policies. Despite this, oil workers rarely have a voice in public debates.
Based on a series of interviews with shop stewards across unions and value chains in the oil industry over the period (2018–2024), this article analyzes what characterizes the interests of this group, seen from their own perspective. We draw a picture of shifting positions in a changing political context in what we call an interest landscape. We show how the emphasis on interests changes over time and is linked to historical experiences of transition and expectations for the future in a green and just transition.
