Far north could have a 'strong future', says STUC general secretary on visit to Caithness
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Caithness could have a "strong future," according to Roz Foyer, the general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress.
Speaking during a two-day visit to the far north, organised by the Thurso and Wick Trade Union Council, Ms Foyer said she was "really surprised by the level of potential the area has to offer".
She arrived on Wednesday and met with a number of local organisations and groups at the Pentland Hotel in Thurso in the evening.
On Thursday, she visited Dounreay, Scrabster Harbour and the Engineering, Technology and Energy Centre (ETEC) at the UHI North Highland college in Thurso. In the afternoon she was taken to the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Ltd's operations and maintenance base at Wick, as well as the harbour area, before heading south again.
In an interview with the John O'Groat Journal before heading to Wick, she said she was impressed by the well-funded ETEC facility which benefits Thurso and the rest of Caithness, and said Scrabster Harbour, which has seen a lot of investment in the last 10 years, has diversified into a range of different areas and that augers well for its long-term future.
Regards Dounreay, Ms Foyer said the site has a skilled workforce and links to the national grid and could play a part in industries such as renewables or hydrogen.
"I think the area has a strong future and will be taking that message back with me," she said. Ms Foyer acknowledged there are concerns on issues such as health, infrastructure and education but said "a holistic approach" is needed to create economic growth.
"Quality of life is very important and that is something we have consistently raised with the Scottish Government. Good services and facilities are needed to attract people to come here and that is required across the whole of Scotland, not just in the central belt," she said.
Ms Foyer said she is "really impressed" by the way people pull together in Caithness. It was her first trip to the county since taking up her role three years ago.
Davie Alexander, the chairman of the Thurso and Wick Trade Union Council, described the visit as "positive" and said it gave Ms Foyer the chance to see the area for herself, hear about what's going on and the issues affecting local people. "The message from the far north is don't forget about us," he added.
The visit came about after Mr Alexander and Thurso and Wick Trade Union Council secretary John Deighan invited Ms Foyer to Caithness while they were attending last year's STUC Conference in Aberdeen. Ms Foyer was born and grew up in Glasgow. After leaving school, she worked for the Benefits Agency, where she led a successful campaign against privatisation.
She was later an organiser in the Print Workers Union, a national officer with the Transport and General Workers Union, and after it became part of Unite, she worked in its national organising department. She was also STUC assistant secretary.
Ms Foyer served on the general council of the STUC for many years, including a term as chair of its youth committee. In 2020, she was appointed as general secretary of the STUC and became the first woman to hold the post.
