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Queen’s Speech 2016: Government must act on low skill economy ‘before it’s too late,’ says union

GMB

2 min read Partner content

Trade union GMB slams the Government for creating an economy ‘built on the insecurity of the workforce.’


The Government needs to wake up and take action, says the GMB, not just to create new jobs and skills, but to stop the drive to a low skill, low wage economy.

In response to the Queen’s Speech this morning, the union has denounced the Government for failing to address job losses across the country in IT, manufacturing and engineering sectors.

GMB general secretary, Tim Roache, said: "If you're a skilled worker whose job is about to be offshored, the Government's warm words about UK jobs and infrastructure are little comfort.

“Thousands of skilled jobs - and the training opportunities that go with them - were already on the line when Her Majesty took her nicely upholstered seat to address the nation.”

The union claims that lack of action has led to jobs being lost in IT at British Airways, manufacturing jobs at Carron Phoenix, Tannoy and Pfaudler Balfour, “and that’s to say nothing of the crisis in the offshore and steel industries,” added Roche.

“The government needs to wake up and take action not just to create new jobs and skills, but to stop the drive to a low skill, low wage economy built on the insecurity of the workforce, and they need to do it before it's too late."

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