‘Jobs first Brexit’

Members of Unite (pictured) lobbied MPs yesterday (October 17) for a ‘jobs first Brexit’ and certainty so that long-term investment decisions can be made.

The Unite members are employed in the East Midlands at Rolls Royce and Toyota.

The members held a series of meetings with MPs from both the Labour and Conservative party whose constituencies include either Rolls Royce or Toyota workplaces.

The key concerns for members are that any Brexit deal must focus on jobs; there must be a transition period where the UK remains within the single market and customs union for as long as needed; and
there needs to be certainty over the direction of the Brexit process to secure the future of their companies and ensure long-term investment decisions can be made.

“Our members are taking their Brexit concerns directly to MPs,” said Unite regional officer Tony Tinley. “Too often throughout the Brexit process the concerns of workers have been ignored.

“As the implications of Brexit are increasingly hitting home, workers are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of the process on their jobs,” he added.

“The uncertainty at the heart of the government’s Brexit negotiations is creating widespread insecurity and confusion within both management and the workforce.”

• Pic by Mark Thomas