Plans for a Coventry electric car battery plant that could create
up to 6,000 new jobs will be ‘a huge shot in the arm’ for the
West Midlands economy, Unite the union said today (Thursday 15
July).
Unite welcomed plans to build the gigafactory that will underpin
the future of automotive production in the West Midlands region,
as the demand for battery-powered vehicles worldwide accelerates.
Unite assistant general secretary for manufacturing said: "Unite has been battling for this gigafactory to
come to Coventry airport. Our members working in manufacturing
and autos across the Midlands are desperate for this facility and
industries that want to invest in UK PLC share our urgency.
"We urge the government to get onside, work with us to get this
gigafactory up and running so that the country can take another
step forward in electric battery production.
“The facility will be a huge shot in the arm for the region, its
auto sector and the supply chain. The promise of 6,000 jobs and
thousands more in the supply chain is exactly what we need to
bring stability to the sector during these rocky times and ensure
it can face up to the challenges of the green manufacturing
revolution.
"We have one gigafactory at Sunderland, but we need at least
seven across the country to give our industries a fighting chance
and stay competitive as the economy transitions to greener
energies, with the goal that the UK meets its 2050 target of net
zero emissions.
"There's no time to waste. Our competitors are spending more and
moving faster. UK manufacturers, our world class auto industry
and consumers desperately need to know that the infrastructure
will be in place to help them go ‘green’."
