Responding to the announcement today (Thursday) by the chancellor
that the Job Retention Scheme is being replaced with a new Job
Support Scheme to provide targeted support and wage assistance to
struggling businesses, the leader of Unite the union, Len
McCluskey, said:
“The package of measures announced today by the chancellor will
allow many workers and employers to breathe more easily.
“For some industries this will steady the very rocky floor
beneath them, something that we have been pressing for all summer
in an effort to stop the redundancy floodgates from pouring open.
“The chancellor has heard the incessant calls from unions,
economists and business leaders and listened, and that is to be
undoubtedly welcomed.
"Our fear though is that today’s assistance may come too late for
far too many and leaves gaps that could see millions more facing
poverty and joblessness in the coming weeks.
"Today, therefore, cannot be the last word from the government on
the defence of people's livelihoods. We have seen a summer of
jobs destruction but an absence of jobs creation. We urge the
government to work with us as we put our collective shoulders to
the wheel in the task of recovering the economy, because the
spectre of mass unemployment still stalks our communities. ”
Len McCluskey called on employers considering making workers
redundant to now step back from the brink:
“While we await the detail of criteria for large employers’
access to the scheme, there can be no doubt that in the UK's
strategically vital industries – such as aerospace, steel and
automotive – today’s move to support wages means we stand a
better chance of saving the jobs and skills needed to power the
recovery.
“We call upon employers to now work with us on the urgent task of
saving those jobs. Reverse plans for redundancies and reflect on
the opportunities now available to us: do not push the redundancy
button. Unite’s officials stand ready to work night and day with
you to keep people in work and earning."
Further, Len McCluskey warned that more will still needs to be
done to address the skills crisis and to create desperately
needed new and decent jobs, particularly for young people who
have been hit hard by this crisis:
“Industries teetering on the cliff edge like aviation, retail and
hospitality, where jobs are being lost hand over fist and where
the impact of this crisis continues to be devastating, will need
further support.
"Dismissing jobs in these sectors as not viable is to leave
communities to rot and descend into a jobs wastelands, so we are
determined to continue to fight for better and wider support for
these workers.
“We urge the chancellor to keep the unemployment situation under
constant review and pledge to act swiftly should the measures
announced today not have the desired effect of holding back a
tide of job losses and poverty."
