Never mind the bankers, what about the workers, asks Unite
14 January 2009
Ministers must act now to stop the jobs carnage sweeping
Britain, the joint leader of the country's biggest union said today
(Wednesday).
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite the Union, said
that the Government needs to do more to help the millions of
workers living under the threat of redundancy as the economy
continues to deteriorate.
Mr Woodley said: "Labour has made important moves towards
intervening to keep the economy afloat and has certainly been more
decisive than the do-nothing Tories would have been.
"But it has not been enough. So far the greedy bankers have been
propped up - but they have done little or nothing for industry. All
the big sums of money being bandied about are not getting to the
sharp end - the real people facing job losses and poverty. Our
priority must be using that public money to save jobs and skills,
not to fund redundancy.
"I am worried that the Government is losing momentum in
grappling with the immense problems caused by the spivs and
speculators. It is not enough trying to breathe life back into the
free-market which got us into this mess.
“We desperately need to see creative, strategic action to save
jobs, such as job sharing and reduced hours in industries where
demand has plummeted because of the crisis, with pay losses made up
by the state.
"First of all, I want to see a properly-funded strategic plan
for manufacturing, of the sort that is operating in France, Spain
and Germany. This must be backed by a readiness to take control in
sectors vital for the future of a high-skill high-tech industrial
base. We need our factories and skills there for when the economic
revival comes – if they go, they are gone forever.
"We therefore urgently need targeted assistance for
manufacturing. While other governments are now looking at their
second assistance package, we have yet to see our first. Ministers
must stop dilly-dallying on aid for the car industry and announce a
plan now, particularly for Jaguar Land Rover. Further, it must help
the aerospace sector to ensure that apprenticeships at EADS and
other firms do not start to go down the drain.
"Secondly, while we recognise the important steps the government
has taken to get credit flowing again, this is not going to be
sufficient. The Government already has the power to make this
happen by using the state holdings in major banks.
"These banks are now failing the British people. They have
swallowed billions in taxpayers' money yet are refusing to do their
bit to keep companies alive. Bankers are putting industry on
starvation rations while they fatten themselves up again.
"If the banks won't act then the Government must stop pandering
to them with further inducements to do the things they should
already be doing. It should redirect money from the useless bankers
and instead set up a national, state-owned people's bank - one that
puts people, communities and our economy before profits for
shareholders.
"Thirdly, we need that public works programme to create jobs,
including council-house building, transport and green
infrastructure projects, up and running. Our plans still look timid
when set alongside Barack Obama's ambitious package in the US," Mr
Woodley said.
ENDS
For further information, Pauline Doyle 07976 832 861
