Unite leaders hold crisis talks with Darling

19.02.09

The joint general secretaries of Unite, Britain’s biggest union, met with Alistair Darling at Number 11 today for crisis talks on manufacturing.

Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley urged the Chancellor of the Exchequer to act quickly and provide significant financial support for the ailing car industry. The leaders of Unite warned that unless there is urgent assistance UK manufacturing will not recover after the recession.

The union leaders warned that closure of an entire car plant would have a devastating effect on directly employed workers, the wider manufacturing and components industries and jobs in the immediate locality.

During this week alone, BMW callously sacked 850 agency workers with one hour’s notice and a further 564 job cuts were announced at the car components company GKN Driveline.

Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said: “The problems in the car industry have reached crisis point. Unless there is urgent assistance UK manufacturing will not recover after the recession. We made it absolutely clear that the prospect of a plant closure will have a devastating effect on UK manufacturing. Immediate and effective intervention is required from the government.

“We are calling for a £13 billion fund to be made available to provide interim relief for producers and to cover employment costs during the crisis period. We need a strategic support package from government, similar to the support provided by the German, French and Swedish governments to their manufacturing industries.

“We cannot afford to let a short term problem deprive Britain of the skills we will depend on to compete in the world economy in the long term.”