Oil Jobs: ‘Long-term plan for workforce needed’, says Harvie
Patrick Harvie, MSP and Scottish Green Party co-convenor, has today called for a long-term plan to secure jobs for Scotland's oil and gas sector. Commenting on the launch of the Offshore Co-ordinating Group (OCG), Harvie argued that workers’ interests should be at the heart of decisions regarding the future of the oil and gas industries in Scotland.
Scottish offshore workers’ unions are today launching a group to resist cuts in the oil and gas sector.
Harvie highlighted that as the need to move away from fossil fuels is imminent, the Scottish and UK governments must put forward a plan to secure livelihoods for the oil and gas workforce in other sectors.
A report commissioned by the Green MSPs last year showed that 200,000 new jobs could be created by investing in sectors such as decommissioning and clean energy as part of a transition to a more sustainable economy.
In January 2016, the Green MSPs led a Holyrood debate on the need to move away from Scotland’s over-reliance on fossil fuels, branding the current lack of a feasible transition plan ‘reckless’.
Patrick Harvie:
“The turbulence in the oil market has caused unbearable insecurity for North Sea workers, and protecting livelihoods must be a priority for the Scottish Government. It’s vital that the concerns of the workforce are at the heart of decisions made in this area.
“So far, both the Tories in Westminster and the SNP in Scotland have failed to draw up a long-term plan to secure jobs for the future as we move away from fossil fuel. We need to see a bold vision for how to make the most of the highly skilled North Sea workforce as the oil sector moves toward decommissioning.
“Research by the Scottish Greens shows that with bold decisions and proper investment, Scotland could create 200,000 new highly skilled, long-term jobs in other sectors such as renewables. I urge the Scottish Government to take the warning signs seriously and put forward a clear plan to secure a future for North Sea workers not just over the next few months, but over the next few decades.”