Labour is also promising a wider industrial strategy, but the GMB and some other unions are worried that this and the transition to green energy are not – at least, yet – joined up.
Gary Smith told me: “We’re not reducing our consumption of oil and gas, we’ll still need lots of steel, we’ll just be producing this stuff elsewhere and importing it.
“We’re going to be producing more steel from countries like China who burn coal to produce it. This is bad for communities, not great for national security and it makes no sense in terms of the environment.”
He is now calling for a debate on how the government intends to manage the transition to net zero – the flagship policy of Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband.
“We’re going to have to have an honest conversation about the way in which environmental policy is impacting jobs.
“Our message to Ed Miliband is very clear: We are worried about a lot of promises that are not being delivered on jobs.”
Those worries are shared by the Unite union when it comes to employment in the oil and gas industries.
Both unions – who don’t always see eye-to-eye – joined forces successfully to push a motion through the TUC conference opposing the ending of new North Sea licences unless and until guarantees are delivered on jobs.
I’m told talks with ministers will continue behind closed doors.
Unite leader Sharon Graham has publicly set out her red lines.
She said: “Right now there is talk of a ‘just transition’ but in reality 30,000 workers in the North sea are on a jobs cliff edge.
“Labour’s plans are lacking in cast iron guarantees.”
And in a reference to the coal mine closures of the 1980s, she added: “Make no mistake – Unite will not stand by and watch those workers becoming the miners of our generation.”
There were other differences on display this week between unions and government.
The TUC opposed the withdrawal of winter fuel payments and called for the two child benefit limit in the welfare system to be lifted.
The conference also passed a motion calling for “arbitary” fiscal rules governing debt and borrowing to be relaxed.
On these issues the government, bluntly, is unlikely to listen.
But when it comes to members’ jobs some of the big unions hope they can have more influence.
The GMB and Unite say they made the Port Talbot deal less damaging.
But they could not convince Tata to keep its two blast furnaces open until the new electric furnace is built.
They know they face an uphill battle to prevent job losses in traditional industries before the promised green jobs become available.
The government and trade unions want to reach net zero. but both the energy security and net zero secretary, and the business secretary, will continue to be warned by some of the biggest unions the journey to that destination could come with economic and political costs.
