Failure to link airport expansion with commitment to convert
Grangemouth into Sustainable Aviation Fuel production a clear own
goal, warns Unite
Unite the union has welcomed chancellor support for a third runway at
Heathrow in her speech today as it should boost highly skilled,
well-paid, and unionised jobs. However, the union has warned that
a lack a coherent industrial strategy and joined up thinking
jeopardises the government's plans for growth and risks
alienating workers.
A failure to link investment to high quality skilled jobs in
sectors including manufacturing, has led to fears that the
government will be relying on a trickle-down effect, for workers
to receive any benefit from the government's growth plans.
Unite believes that the support for a third runway at Heathrow
should be fully co-ordinated with a direct move to minimise the
carbon impact by investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Unite has written to the chancellor urging her to ensure that the
Grangemouth oil refinery is urgently transformed into a SAF
production facility, starting with the co-production of SAF and
petroleum, which will protect existing jobs and skills.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Rachel
Reeves is right our economy needs to grow but her dash for growth
will be undermined without joined up thinking, a coherent
industrial strategy and ensuring that workers directly
benefit.
“Investment and planning approval must be linked to
cast iron commitments to create well paid, unionised jobs here in
the UK. Otherwise, the government is relying on a trickle-down
effect to increase prosperity and workers are left waiting for
crumbs from rich men's tables.
“A third runway at Heathrow must be about more than
just infrastructure - it's about investing in the workforce and
securing the future of good, unionised jobs. With workers facing
economic uncertainty, these projects must deliver real
opportunities for highly-skilled, well-paid employment that puts
money back into working families and local
communities.
“Despite the positive news about Heathrow the
government is guilty of missing an own goal by failing to
directly link expansion with transforming Grangemouth into a SAF
production facility. If the chancellor is serious about claiming
the environmental benefits of SAF as part of her dash for growth
and the government's duty to ensure we have energy security, she
will need Grangemouth to start producing SAF
ASAP.
“For the government to support the redevelopment of
Old Trafford at the same time as Manchester United's joint owner
billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, is ploughing ahead with Grangemouth's
closure plans, is either tin-eared or inept.
“The public will welcome the good intentions behind
this speech but will be alarmed by the lack of detail about how
it will improve their lives.”
In the letter to Ms Reeves, Unite warns that under existing plans
to close Grangemouth as a refinery this year the government will
get nowhere near their target of using 10 per cent SAF by 2030
from domestic production.
The union is calling for the chancellor to intervene and ensure
that plans by Petroineos to close Grangemouth are paused, there
is an independent review into the current state of the refinery
and a detailed transition plan to SAF via coproduction.
Heathrow Airport is a cornerstone of the UK's economy, supporting
thousands of workers and connecting Britain to the world. The
addition of a third runway represents a once-in-a-generation
opportunity to secure long-term prosperity, both locally and
nationally. Unite believes this expansion should create tens of
thousands of unionised high-quality jobs across construction,
engineering, and civil aviation, ensuring fair pay and good
conditions for workers.
The lack of a clear industrial strategy is further highlighted in
the UK government's decision further licences for the exploration
of oil and gas in the North Sea, before suitable replacement
green jobs are in place. For instance the government is strongly
supporting a huge expansion in wind power but just eight per cent
of components are currently built domestically.
