Trade union agrees with Labour's calls to see how Brexit could affect jobs in the sector and to make contingency plans to safeguard those at risk.
GMB, the general trade union in the UK, supports Labour’s calls for an assessment into the impact of Brexit on Britain’s 2.6 million manufacturing jobs.
The GMB believes that an in-depth look in to how leaving the EU and losing access to the single market could affect the millions of jobs that are directly employed in the manufacturing sector.
The Labour Party will put to the government a selection of amendments that require the government to publish an impact assessment on industries that will be affected by leaving the EU and measures to minimise the impact.
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Jude Brimble, GMB national secretary for manufacturing, said, “it is vital that the government releases its impact assessment on the consequences of its plan to leave the single market and customs union, which let’s not forget were not on the referendum ballot paper last year.
“While this radical move will inevitably have a big impact for many different sectors of the economy, it will be those in manufacturing that could experience the fallout first.
“Many manufacturing firms rely on components, materials and goods zig-zagging between Britain and other countries in the European Union as part of their production and supply chains and barriers to that will be challenging.”
Brimble goes on to say that, with 2.6 million jobs in the manufacturing sector, Theresa May needs to be clear on what the government thinks will happen as a result of the current Brexit plans, she also urges the Prime Minister to reassure those in the manufacturing sector and to take action to safeguard jobs.
The GMB has suggested that there should be a report in to which regions will be hardest hit and that future industrial strategy should look to protect the areas that need the most protection.