[2019] Motion 01 Industrial strategy: delivering real change

carried motion
Carried motion

Received from:

Congress believes that government failure to deliver a coherent industrial strategy has led to a collapse of investment and confidence in UK manufacturing. This amounts to gross industrial sabotage resulting in the loss of some 500,000 skilled manufacturing jobs over the past decade.

Congress notes that closures announced by Honda and Ford, the crisis in our steel industry, deep concerns over a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, the impact of growing protectionism and a collapse in investment and consumer confidence threaten to seriously undermine UK manufacturing.

Re-balancing our economy and supporting a ‘just transition’ towards sustainable, long-term economic growth requires a radical, alternative political and economic vision. Congress believes that only a Labour government committed to proactive state support and intervention will deliver such a programme.

Congress calls on the General Council to support:

i. procurement policy that supports a ‘build local’ strategy to reduce our carbon footprint and invest in skilled jobs and apprenticeships

ii. investment in research and development and our capacity to design, engineer and manufacture in the UK

iii. ending the housing crisis with a million new council homes and a refit programme to bring existing housing stock up to standard

iv. a ‘just transition’ from ageing to new technologies including energy, steel, construction, automotive and transport sectors

v. an urgent review of the apprenticeship levy and a union voice on national skills bodies

vi. reform of merger and acquisition regulation to promote long-termism and protect the interests of workers and communities

vii. the promotion, extension and co-ordination of collective bargaining and sectoral collective bargaining.

Unite

Amendment

  • Add sub-paragraph viii) at end:
    “viii. the development of a national strategy for rail freight, to include opportunities to increase the amount of freight moved long-distance by rail, and planning policy which allows for the strategic development of freight terminals and freight interchanges between the rail, road and maritime networks.”

ASLEF