{"id":11886,"date":"2017-03-27T16:42:33","date_gmt":"2017-03-27T15:42:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=11886"},"modified":"2017-03-27T17:48:18","modified_gmt":"2017-03-27T16:48:18","slug":"navigating-stormy-waters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=11886","title":{"rendered":"Navigating \u00e2\u20ac\u0098these stormy waters\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Representatives of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 95,000 auto members gathered for an emergency Brexit conference on Saturday (March 25), just days before Theresa May triggers<\/a> formal negotiations over the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s EU exit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Around 170 delegates at the Securing a Future for the UK Auto Industry<\/em><\/a> conference in Birmingham were joined by Aston University\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s professor of industrial strategy, David Bailey, shadow secretary of state for business, Rebecca Long-Bailey, and Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) CEO, Mike Hawes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Opening the conference, where the issues of automation, electrification, investment and the digital revolution in manufacturing were also discussed, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said the auto industry is being threatened by Brexit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Recent analysis<\/a> has found that a hard Brexit could increase car production costs by \u00c2\u01412,372 per vehicle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

McCluskey said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so vital that we meet here today, as representatives of the workforce in this critical industry, to map out a way forward.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Strategy <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

McCluskey outlined Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Brexit strategy, including ensuring single market access on terms no less favourable than at present, tackling the barriers to reshoring, better access to financial support, closing the skills gap<\/a>, pressing for a tougher approach to takeovers with much greater political and union involvement and sustained investment in research and development.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf, and only if, we follow this strategy then your industry can have a strong future even after Brexit,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said McCluskey.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what Unite is fighting for now, day-in, day-out, with business and politicians both here and abroad.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He said that the delegates are vital to achieving success for the industry post-Brexit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI can and will kick down doors in Whitehall, Detroit or wherever,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 McCluskey said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s your work at plant level \u00e2\u20ac\u201c getting agreements that work for your members and guarantee a future for the factories and the supply chain \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that will make the decisive difference.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Nikkita<\/p>\n

Delegate Nikkita Tailor from Vauxhall Luton<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

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Speaking after the conference, McCluskey was also clear that the issue of automation needed to be tackled at the same time as the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s future outside of the EU was being negotiated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Automation <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

According to a 2016 World Economic Forum survey, an estimated 1.6m manufacturing and production jobs will be lost globally from automation between 2015 and 2020.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

McCluskey said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf Brexit is the most pressing challenge we face, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the only one. The replacement of workers by robots is an issue facing all parts of manufacturing and many service sectors, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s presently focused on the motor industry above all.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAutomation could be a good thing for industry and society, if handled in the right way \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which means not seeing it as just another opportunity to cut jobs and costs and make a fatter profit.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He added, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt should instead be an opportunity for a shorter working week with no loss in pay, or the gateway to a nationwide programme of re-skilling and up-skilling existing workers, while also creating new training and apprenticeship schemes. That won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t happen if a laissez-faire free-market approach is allowed to dominate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThat is why Unite is calling for the government to take the lead in setting up a Future of Automation Commission, involving unions, employers, researchers and academics to find workable solutions to automation, opportunity and threat as it simultaneously is.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\"Rebecca<\/p>\n

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

\n

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Shadow secretary of state for business, Rebecca Long-Bailey, said Labour has set out a plan which will provide the UK auto industry, which has a turnover of \u00c2\u014171.6bn, the security and investment its needs to weather both Brexit and changes in technology.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As well as securing tariff and impediment free access to the EU and retaining workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s rights and protections unpinned by EU legislation, Long-Bailey said Labour would invest \u00c2\u0141250bn in capital expenditure projects over a decade, funding that would matched through a National Investment Bank<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Consistent and transparent assurances\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For the automotive sector in particular, Long-Bailey was clear investors should be given consistent and transparent assurances and incentives to stay within the UK. She also said that the industry needs \u00e2\u20ac\u015bto be at the forefront of new technologies\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 through research and development investment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Long-Bailey said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015b(Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s industrial strategy) seeks growth but growth which equitable, balanced, environmentally sustainable and supports and champions the glimmering gems in our country\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s economic landscape, such as the UK automotive sector and its\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 brilliant workforce.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s patriotic to have a bold industrial strategy which helps our economy, attracts investment and supports good jobs\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6It is not patriotic to have a bad Brexit that hurts jobs.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"dave<\/p>\n

David Bailey and Mike Hawes<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

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SMMT (society of motor manufacturers and traders) CEO, Mike Hawes, criticised the Tories hard Brexit stance. He said the automotive sector \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which directly employs more than 800,000 people and supports thousands more indirectly \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is vital to the nation\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s economy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhen the Prime Minister said \u00e2\u20ac\u0098no deal is better than a bad deal\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 it is really hard to see what deal would be worse for us than no deal, which would be WTO rules.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As an example of the problems that could be thrown up by leaving the single market he cited the alcoholic drink Baileys, which moves between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland 40 times before the product is ready for sale.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bMultiply that by the amount of products that go into a car, around 15,000, and you can see how complicated our future relationship with the EU is going to be,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hawes explained that a firm like Jaguar Land Rover would have to swallow an eight percent increase in costs if they wanted to export to Germany under WTO rules. The costs of tariffs for importing cars to the UK would also be huge and be paid for by UK consumers, he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bTariffs are about the biggest redline we have. We also need some kind of customs union arrangement. This industry has probably taken advantage of the single market more than any other,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Hawes said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe way that parts move seamlessly, just in time, from one part of Europe to another, back and forth continuously. Any thing that puts a barrier \u00e2\u20ac\u201c in terms of paperwork, in terms of logistics \u00e2\u20ac\u201c in the way of that will add costs that result in a drop in competitiveness.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

\"Theresa<\/p>\n

Delegate Theresa Munson asks a question<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

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Despite the very real challenges facing the UK car industry<\/a>, McCluskey was optimistic about the future.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He told the conference, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe automotive sector is one of the jewels in the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s manufacturing crown. We intend to make sure your voice is heard and there are no doubts that these are going to be turbulent years.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHowever, I do feel that the type of organisation we have within this sector and the high level of representation that we have, means we will be able to navigate these stormy waters and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll do that by remaining united and remaining strong.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All pics by Mark Thomas<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

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Representatives of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 95,000 auto members gathered for an emergency Brexit conference on Saturday (March 25), just days before Theresa May triggers formal negotiations over the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s EU exit.   Around 170 delegates at the Securing a Future for the UK Auto Industry conference in Birmingham were joined by Aston University\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s professor of industrial strategy, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11889,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[486,386,55],"wps_subtitle":"McCluskey hails strong Unite auto workers in Brexit battle","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11886"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11886"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11886\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11896,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11886\/revisions\/11896"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}