Energy workers in the UK are in for a significant shift in skills and protections as offshore wind supply chain firms and trade unions have committed to the government’s Fair Work Charter. The charter, developed in collaboration with unions and businesses, mandates offshore wind developers to contribute to a skills fund or invest a minimum amount in skills training starting from 2027. So far, 37 supply chain companies and five trade unions, including GMB, Prospect, and Unison, have agreed to adhere to the charter.
This agreement will grant unions improved access to workplaces and ensure robust health and safety standards within the rapidly growing offshore wind industry. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the government’s stance on empowering workers, stating that advancing the clean power agenda must coincide with bolstering workers’ rights.
Failure to comply with the charter will result in supply chain companies and offshore wind projects missing out on government funding through the clean industry bonus and renewables auction. The government has pledged to achieve clean power by 2030, with expectations of creating 100,000 new jobs in the offshore wind sector. Salaries in offshore wind are projected to be approximately £10,000 higher than the national average, with 90% of the oil and gas workforce possessing transferable skills for offshore renewables.
In response to the announcement, Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB National Secretary, highlighted the importance of the charter in ensuring fair treatment, decent pay, job security, and industry-wide standards for the workforce driving the UK’s clean energy future. TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak praised the charter as a crucial step towards establishing good, secure, and unionized jobs in the offshore wind sector, emphasizing the significance of dignified treatment for workers contributing to energy independence.