Unite welcomes prospect of 180 new jobs at Margam
UNITE, the UK’s largest union, is urging the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) to support Celtic Energy Ltd’s planning application for an extension to operations at their Margam opencast coal mine, near Bridgend.
The union says Welsh Assembly support would help unlock much-needed employment opportunities for the region.
Formal approval from the WAG for Celtic Energy to extend operations at the Margam site for an additional five and a half years would see around 180 direct and indirect jobs created, providing a shot in the arm for the Welsh economy, which has been hit badly by the current global recession.
Gareth Jones, Unite’s regional industrial organizer, said: ‘The public inquiry for Margam took place back in February. Given the current economic downturn, we would have expected an announcement regarding this important decision long before now.
‘There is a lot at stake here; not only is there the opportunity for much-needed job creation that will otherwise be lost, but equally as important, the site is key to the future of Celtic Energy’s business – which currently employs about 300 people in South Wales, often in areas where there are no alternative employment prospects.’
According to Celtic Energy, the reserves at Margam amount to an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of coal suitable for a range of high-end uses. The site’s location also makes it an ideal provider of coal for Corus’ steel works and RWE npower’s Aberthaw power station.
Celtic Energy submitted their planning application to extend the operations at Margam for a further five and a half years in May 2007. The application was refused by Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot planning authorities in January last year, resulting in the cessation of work at the site in August 2008.
The company’s subsequent appeal against this decision resulted in the application becoming the subject of a formal planning inquiry, which took place in February 2009.
The union says Welsh Assembly support would help unlock much-needed employment opportunities for the region.
Formal approval from the WAG for Celtic Energy to extend operations at the Margam site for an additional five and a half years would see around 180 direct and indirect jobs created, providing a shot in the arm for the Welsh economy, which has been hit badly by the current global recession.
Gareth Jones, Unite’s regional industrial organizer, said: ‘The public inquiry for Margam took place back in February. Given the current economic downturn, we would have expected an announcement regarding this important decision long before now.
‘There is a lot at stake here; not only is there the opportunity for much-needed job creation that will otherwise be lost, but equally as important, the site is key to the future of Celtic Energy’s business – which currently employs about 300 people in South Wales, often in areas where there are no alternative employment prospects.’
According to Celtic Energy, the reserves at Margam amount to an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of coal suitable for a range of high-end uses. The site’s location also makes it an ideal provider of coal for Corus’ steel works and RWE npower’s Aberthaw power station.
Celtic Energy submitted their planning application to extend the operations at Margam for a further five and a half years in May 2007. The application was refused by Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot planning authorities in January last year, resulting in the cessation of work at the site in August 2008.
The company’s subsequent appeal against this decision resulted in the application becoming the subject of a formal planning inquiry, which took place in February 2009.
