17 January, 2012As UK industrial production fell 3.1 per cent on the year up to November 2011 -- and clocked up the ninth consecutive monthly fall, Unite the union relaunches its strategy to help rebuild and revive UK manufacturing, called "2020 Vision".
UNITED KINGDOM: Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke said: "These figures show the economy is still flatlining and the government has no strategy to boost manufacturing and create employment in the manufacturing sector, particularly for those thousands of unemployed workers who have lost their jobs in the public sector.
The Unite strategy highlights the importance for the UK economy to have a robust and skilled manufacturing base.
"Overall the situation is that the government doesn't know what to do," said Burke. "In order to revitalize the economy there needs to be considerable investment in the manufacturing industry. Therefore Unite has put forward this document."
The 2020 vision is based on ten pillars:
- Build a framework of policies to defend strategically important industries
- Continued financial support through interventionist policies
- Targeted support for small and medium sized enterprises
- Better use of government purchasing power to secure manufacturing jobs in the UK
- Maximizing the opportunities that the low carbon revolution offers
- Delivery of an education and skills framework which meets all industry's needs
- Creating a university structure which builds on the science base so necessary to secure high skilled jobs
- Create right investment environment for Research and Development
- Creation of a level playing field to deliver security and fair pricing for energy
- A framework of legislation which promotes transparency and engagement for all stakeholders in the future of manufacturing
Unite is committed to its support for manufacturing as part of its alternative economic strategy. The 2020 Vision document sets out the plan for sustainable manufacturing in the UK. "The document has been well received," said Burke. "We launched it at our sectoral conference late last year, on our website and in our publications."