Executive Urged To Adopt Industrial Strategy For Manufacturing Sector

The Northern Ireland Executive is being urged to adopt an industrial strategy following the loss of 6,000 manufacturing jobs in the last two years.

Unite the union and Manufacturing NI have launched a campaign to create a strategy with clear targets to guarantee real action for the sector.

Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI Stephen Kelly said: "We need an industrial strategy to ensure that high-value added Manufacturing stays on the agenda – that there is real action to lower energy and transport costs, to win foreign direct investment in the sector and to put the resources in to ensure the labour force has the skills needed for future success. There is even more need for such a strategy given the huge ramifications of Brexit for market access and labour mobility."

Unite Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly, said: "While we recognise that the Executive is working to support the success of some leading manufacturers – this needs to be more consistent and applied across the entire sector. We need a different approach to procurement to ensure it works for local suppliers and efforts to grow supply-chains networks across the whole of Northern Ireland as well as enhanced allowances to encourage a step-change in capital investment.

"Representatives of workers and employers are coming together to demand the Executive takes a more comprehensive approach to growing the sector. We are launching a postcard campaign and an online petition calling on the Economy and Finance Ministers to introduce an industrial strategy. We need continued focus and action to defend and grow our vital manufacturing base."

(CD)