Offshore workers union, RMT has respond to Scottish Government’s First Minister Humza Yousaf’s commitment to inject £500 million to “anchor” a new offshore wind farm supply chain as the north-east economy tries to shift from its reliance on oil and gas.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This money needs to be used to train seafarers, protect the livelihoods and ensure permanent employment for offshore oil and gas workers.
“It is important that there is continued investment in an effective offshore skills passport that will prevent the duplication of training between sectors and assist with transferable skills and retention within the offshore energy sector.
“RMT has witnessed shocking employment practices over the last few years so there needs to be robust scrutiny within the supply chain to end these injustices and to boost local employment as a direct result of increased public investment and from the £700m ScotWind payments from developers.
“There is also a domestic shortage in these types of workers at present, and the economic benefits to Scotland from the growth in offshore wind and other green offshore energy sources will be limited if we do not address these shortages.
“We need up to 95,000 workers by the end of the decade, to fill the gaps in the sector, according to recent assessments.”
