A MAJOR trade union in Scotland has warned that investment from China in Scottish energy infrastructure “cannot come at any cost” but welcomed the potential for job growth.
Bosses at GMB Scotland, one of Scotland’s largest trade unions, raised concerns about a meeting which took place between First Minister John Swinney, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, and business minister Richard Lockhead with representatives of Ming Yang – a Chinese wind turbine firm – after it was revealed by Scotland on Sunday.
The arrival of large monopiles for the construction of a new North Sea offshore wind farm from China raised fears at GMB that opportunities may be being missed out on by Scottish firms and workers.
A letter, released today by The Scotsman and sent by the GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour to energy secretary Gillian Martin, welcomed some aspects of the Chinese investment but warned that “security concerns must be taken seriously”.
This all comes amid renewed concerns about national security and a nationwide scramble to understand the collapse of the Chinese spy case at the Crown Prosecution Service.
The firm which Forbes, Swinney, and Lockhead met, Ming Yang, is the largest manufacturer of wind turbines in China, and the fifth largest globally.
It plans to open a wind turbine manufacturing facility in the Scottish Highlands with a £1.5bn investment.
The company has already announced the news, but the UK Government is still mulling the deal over amid concerns about Chinese ownership of British energy infrastructure.
The Inch Cape wind farm, for which Scotland is importing 54 enormous monopiles from China, is expected to provide 50 permanent jobs, with a further 100 being supported in the construction phase.
GMB is concerned, however, that Scottish firms may get cut out of the deal, and that, if too much of the work is handed to Chinese firms, the potential for Scottish job growth may be stifled.
In her letter to Gillian Martin, Scottish energy secretary, GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour said on the potential Chinese turbine manufacturing facility: “Security concerns must be taken seriously, and a decision will be made by authorities.
“Should approval be granted, it is incumbent on the Scottish Government to ensure that those jobs are well-paid and highly skilled.
“The presence of a recognised trade union plays a key function in achieving both.”
She added: “The arrival of monopiles in the Port of Leith, produced by the Chinese firm CNOOD-Wenchong Heavy Industries, serves as a stark reminder of the opportunities our members are already missing out on.
“Our members at Methil, Navantia are still waiting on the renewables work they were promised to reach their yard.
“What plans does the Scottish Government have to deliver this work specifically to Methil?”
Gilmour also wanted to see the Scottish Government commit to enhanced training programmes for Scottish workers and apprentices, proposing the creation of “five technical excellence colleges to provide apprentices with the skills to undertake job roles”.
Cabinet secretary for climate action and energy, Gillian Martin, responded, saying: “We are working closely with the energy sector to plan for a multi-skilled workforce, one that can benefit from opportunities across the energy system.
“We will shortly publish an evidence-based offshore wind skills action plan – and have provided targeted funding to the college sector in 2025-26 to establish an offshore wind skills programme, helping to create region-specific training hubs for offshore wind skills.
“Additionally, the continued and expanded funding of £18m to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support more offshore workers to take on different roles across the sustainable energy sector over the next three years – helping to deliver a fair and managed transition to the sector.”
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