'Real change' likely in Caithness within two years, says union leader
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
CAITHNESS can overcome the economic difficulties caused by the rundown of Dounreay but the area needs “a greater commitment” from the Scottish and UK governments.
That was the message delivered this week by two national union leaders after they made a two-day visit to the Far North.
Kevin Coyne, the Unite national officer, and Keith Hazlewood, the GMB national secretary, spoke to the John O’Groat Journal at the end of their first trip to the area.
During their time in the county they toured the Dounreay site, met union representatives and management and held meetings with officials at Scrabster harbour where a £20 million redevelopment of the port is under way.
Mr Coyne and Mr Hazlewood also met members of the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership and were taken to see the engineering skills centre at North Highland College UHI.
The London-based union officials stressed the area has a skilled and motivated workforce, good connections to the national grid and has opportunities to replace the jobs being lost at Dounreay by attracting other industries. Renewable energy has a key role to play.
They vowed to do what they can to assist the area and will raise the issue with UK energy minister Charles Hendry. Mr Coyne also hopes to have a meeting with First Minister Alex Salmond.
“We have seen what the issues are and will go back and try and raise the profile of Dounreay and the area in general and try to bring it back on the radar,” said Mr Hazlewood.
He was encouraged by the enthusiasm he experienced on the visit which he described as “second to none”.
“Everything has been positive from the all the parties we spoke to. People are not going to roll over and die,” stated Mr Hazlewood.
But he and Mr Coyne, whose brief includes energy and utilities, felt the Scottish and UK governments have to make a greater commitment to the area and help in terms of infrastructural requirements.
“The skills you have here could be transferred to other industries and are suited to different aspects of the energy industry, including renewables. The area has a lot going for it,” stated Mr Hazlewood.
Mr Coyne said there is little prospect of new nuclear reactors being built in Scotland because of the Scottish Government’s opposition. As a result, alternatives have to be established.
He felt the area has a great opportunity to get involved in the renewable energy sector with marine, wave and tidal projects but argued turbines could be manufactured in Caithness rather than being shipped over from Germany and Holland.
Mr Coyne also saw no reason why the Far North could not play a part in servicing and maintaining the equipment as well.
“Renewable energy is going to be a major player in industrial terms in the future. What we are saying is we want part of it. Do not bypass this area,” he said.
Both officials felt that unlike rundowns in other industries, decommissioning a nuclear site takes many years and gives more time to find alternative employment.
“Sometimes there may only be a matter of weeks and months to come up with other jobs,” said Mr Hazlewood.
Mr Coyne pointed out the area has a lot in its favour, including “a totally motivated workforce”. He and his colleague praised “the absolutely splendid” work the local trade unions have done in trying to replace the jobs being lost at Dounreay.
“They are determined there will be a future here and we want to support that effort. We will help in any way we can but there needs to be more commitment from both the Scottish and UK governments,” said Mr Coyne.
“Dounreay has done great service to the nation since the 1950s. That needs to be recognised and people not simply dumped and the community abandoned. Without the skills of the workforce and that plant a significant part of your economy collapses.”
Asked about the frustrations expressed by local trade union representatives and others about the lack of progress being made regarding alternative employment, Mr Coyne said there is always a period in any regeneration programme where nothing seems to be happening. But he and Mr Hazlewood felt there will be “real and tangible change” over the next two years.
Caithness union officials were delighted by the visit. Willie Swanson, the local GMB representative, said: “We need support from a higher level to make things happen and that is what we have got.”
John Deighan, of Unite, agreed and stressed the importance of Dounreay to the local economy and the need to get jobs to replace those being lost at the site.
