Responding to comments made by Nissan chief operating officer
Ashwani Gupta on the company’s Sunderland plant, Unite national
officer for automotive Steve Bush said:
"Mr Gupta's backing for the Nissan plant in Sunderland is welcome
and no less than this incredible, dedicated workforce deserves.
"Through continued economic and public health uncertainty, they
have battled to maintain this plant as one of the most productive
in the autos sector and to put it in the best place to transition
to the next generation of vehicles.
"This workforce and their community deserve a future and we will
be working with Nissan to deliver this because bumpy times lie
ahead.
"That's why Unite is seeking an urgent meeting with the
government to discuss the part that they must play in the full
UK-wide electrification needed to secure this plant and others
like it in the UK. Delivering on this would not only bring
stability to auto manufacturing in the North East but also signal
that this government is genuine when it talks about green
investment, levelling up and backing UK manufacturing.
"This country's leaders have to stop thinking in the short-term
and plan now for the changes that are coming at us fast. The UK
automotive sector is a world-leader, with a skilled workforce
determined to continue this well into the future, but it needs a
united effort between the industry, the workforce and, crucially,
the government to power forward. The sector supports more that
800,000 jobs and keeps many communities thriving. We cannot
afford to lose it.
"In the UK, we are sadly unique among the auto manufacturing
nations in that our government sits apart from the sector, happy
to reap the rewards in the good times but absent when we need the
engagement in delivering for tomorrow.
"This has to change because we desperately need high-end
manufacturing such as that undertaken at Nissan to provide the
jobs and generate the taxes to support our economic recovery. And
we need the investment in green technology to address the climate
crisis and to ensure that cars made here will have a market here.
"This is the time for the government to show that it has a plan
for UK automotive manufacturing beyond the next two or three
years. That means becoming an active partner in providing the
infrastructure, component supply and smooth trade arrangements.
"The decisions taken today by government will determine whether
we have an automotive sector to speak of tomorrow. Jobs and
livelihoods depend on this, but so too does the UK's future as a
high skill, high reward manufacturing nation."
