FIRMS must sign up to a charter on worker and trade unions rights to win public cash for clean energy projects, the government insisted today.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said companies hoping to launch offshore wind farms will also have to sign up to the Fair Work Charter before they can take part in government licence auctions.

The government argues that the charter, developed jointly by industry and trade unions, will not only embed union recognition in the sector as it develops, but deliver a number of the improvements to workers’ rights and safety due to come in as part of the Employment Rights Act before it comes into force.

The use of the charter comes as part of the government’s Clean Energy Jobs plan, aimed at creating 100,000 roles in clean energy and its manufacturing supply chains over the life of the parliament.

The move was welcomed by industry and unions alike, with RenewableUK’s Scott Young noting the charter would “maximise the number of high-quality, well-paid jobs we create.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Workers in growing industries like offshore wind must have good-quality jobs. This initial Fair Work Charter is a welcome step in the right direction.

“But this has to be just the start — more work needs to be done to lift pay and conditions in the sector. We look forward to the full Fair Work Charter which can play a vital role boosting trade union recognition and collective bargaining.”

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said it was a “welcome move to link clean energy funding with real workers’ rights and trade union access,” while Prospect’s Sue Ferns argued it “will lay the groundwork for a more comprehensive agreement in future.”

GMB’s Andy Prendergast said: “The renewables sector has promised much, but delivered little.

“There is a long way to go before the industry becomes an employer of choice, but these requirements represent a step in the right direction.”

Mr Miliband said: “Clean energy jobs should always be good jobs, with decent pay and the very best rights at work.

“So we are stepping in to make sure public funding serves the public good — raising the bar for workplace standards, giving workers access to trade unions and guaranteeing a stronger voice in how their workplaces are run.”