Motion 7
A Fair Transition for Scottish Steel
“That this Congress recognises that quality steel is fundamental to us all in our everyday lives. The roads we drive on and the bridges we cross, the hospitals that heal us and the schools our children learn in are all made from steel.
“Congress believes steel is not the enemy of our country’s progressive green strategy; in fact, steel will be more vital than ever for building the low-carbon, sustainable economy of the future for both Scotland and the rest of the UK. Steel will be needed for every wind turbine and solar panel, every electric car, and every infrastructure project we undertake to build the green economy on the future. But relying on imported steel from abroad simply offshores emissions to other more carbon-intensive operations, in countries such as China and Turkey, and does nothing to help us address the climate challenge globally.
“Congress further believes that bypassing Dalzell Steel Plate Mill, which produces quality certified steel and where highly skilled workers benefit from stringent health and safety laws that our unionised predecessor fought hard for, in favour of importing cheap steel from countries where workers do not have the same rights and protections is not morally responsible.
“Congress, therefore, calls on the General Council to stand with our Dalzell Steel workers and to lobby the Government to support our Scottish Steel Industry by:
- delivering competitive energy prices;
- matching the ambition of competitor country’s investment in green steel production;
- introducing measures to protect us from dirty steel imports; and
- prioritising domestic steel for Scottish infrastructure and defence projects.”
Mover: Community
RSS