Learn lessons from Rover losses, Unite urges government
13 November 2008
Commenting on the report out
today (Thursday) on the employment fate of 6,300 Rover workers who
lost their jobs when the company collapsed in April 2005, joint
general secretary Tony Woodley said: "This union was proud to lead
the fight to save Rover, and this report shows we were right to do
everything we possibly could to these manufacturing jobs. It is
testimony to the resilience of the Rover workforce that the vast
majority of those who found themselves out of work when Longbridge
closed dusted themselves down and found new work. But the bald
reality is that most of them were forced to abandon manufacturing,
set aside their skills and take a hefty pay cut just to stay in
work.
"The real lesson from the Rover experience, and one that
we urge Government to pay close attention to at this time of
tremendous economic uncertainty, is that we must never again allow
highly skilled, well paid manufacturing jobs such as these to be
lost from our communities.
"As recession grips the UK we need our leaders to take
swift and significant steps to protect our remaining manufacturing
jobs. Our Government must do all in its power to ensure the
mistakes of Rover are not repeated. We urge it to make every
possible use of its stake in the banks and its power to leverage in
financial to support our manufacturing sector through these tough
times - otherwise we will have no industrial base from which to
revive our economy."
Tony Woodley was commenting on a report produced by the
Birmingham Business School and The Work Foundation out today
(Thursday, November 13th). The report was the third wave of
research into the fortunes of the ex-Rover workers and comes after
previous surveys in July 2005 and December 2005. The report is
based on the experiences of a representative survey of 204
workers.
ENDS
For further information call Pauline Doyle, Unite head of
media and campaigns, 07976 832 861
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