The GMB union’s London region plans to put pressure on the Labour Party and Trades Union Congress to adopt measures to secure domestic supply chain jobs from renewables development in the country.
One measure calls for each new project that is awarded a subsidy to agree to a high percentage of the supply chain to be sourced in the UK.
An official register should be set up of all companies in the sector that are in receipt of public subsidies from household energy bills or from taxpayers.
“No company registered offshore in a tax haven would be eligible to be on the register to be paid subsidies,” GMB said.
Furthermore, the union said companies on the register and all contractors building and running projects should be covered by a new national recognition and collective bargaining agreement that would apply to all workers in the sector.
Subsidies as a matter of principle should be paid to investors from a progressive general taxation system, it added.
The motions will be put to the GMB’s congress next month for approval.
GMB London made the announcement as part of its support to the Scottish Trades Union Congress, which is calling for Fife company BiFab to be chosen by EDF to fabricate jacket foundations for the 450MW Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm.
This follows reports that the work could be carried out abroad.