GMB London calls for halt on new offshore wind farms until local supply chain like for nuclear is in place
GMB LONDON, ECHOING ANGER ON MORE SCOTTISH WIND FARM JOBS TO CHINA, CALL FOR HALT ON NEW OFFSHORE WIND FARMS UNTIL LOCAL SUPPLY CHAIN LIKE FOR NUCLEAR IS IN PLACE
Offshore wind farms with the current supply chain which lead to higher bills and no jobs are against the direct economic interest of union members and their families, says GMB London
GMB London, the union for energy supply and fabrication workers, echoed the growing anger felt by GMB Scotland members that the supply chain for the SSE offshore wind farm in Angus will be in China and UAE.
This follows the award by EDF, the owner on London’s electricity distributor, of the vast majority of the supply chain to Indonesia for its wind farm about 10 miles off the coast of Fife.
See link to a media report on the SSE wind farm.
Warren Kenny, GMB Regional Secretary, said
“Politicians of all stripes, who bought into the hype that renewable energy would give rise to green jobs in the UK in return for the higher electricity prices and subsidies required to bring it on stream, are taking union members for fools at the breath-taking absurdity of the supply chain and carbon emissions reality.
The steel for the turbines and jackets is being made from high emissions coal and the ships that transport them many thousands of miles will be powered by high emissions oil.
It is householders in the UK that are required to pay a surcharge of £10 per week on household energy bills, regardless of income, to fund the subsidies required by renewables energy suppliers to make their projects viable while creating jobs in the Far East. Without the subsidies the wind farms would not exist.
To add insult to injury last week these same electricity suppliers sought the right to use smart meters to ration electricity to households at times when there is no wind or sun. This switch-off rationing is sadly not a joke and OFGEN should reject it.
Offshore wind farms and the current supply chain which lead to higher bills and no jobs are against the direct economic interest of union members and families.
The contrast with Hinckley Point and Sizewell new nuclear power supply chain could not be more stark. There is a verifiable UK supply chain and tens of thousands of jobs in developing nuclear zero carbon emissions reliable electricity.
GMB London calls for the Government to halt awarding any further offshore wind farm electricity supply contracts until the power companies have put in place a comparable UK based supply chain.
The surcharge on household energy bills regardless of income must end too - with the subsidies paid from progressive general taxation.
EDF is involved in nuclear and wind so knows well what to do. It is time for politicians of all stripes to stop taking our members for fools”.
End
Contact:
Gary Pearce, GMB London Region Organiser 078 5003 6952
Vaughan West, GMB London Region Political Officer 079 6734 2197
GMB London Region Press Office 079 7001 19643
Editors notes:
See the recent article in the Scottish press on the contract.
