Brexit branded a ‘gamble’ for UK manufacturing
22 Jun 2016
The head of the national trade union centre (TUC) and the chief of Britain’s manufacturing employers’ organisation (EEF) have jointly warned that leaving the EU could endanger a quarter of a million manufacturing jobs in the UK.
In what they described as a “terrible gamble”, Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, and Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, called for a renewed focus on the economic reality of a decision to leave the EU.
“The Treasury estimates that Brexit would mean losing up to 13% of manufacturing trade with the EU – endangering a quarter of a million well-paid jobs,” said O’Grady and Scuoler, in a joint statement.
Leaving would be a terrible gamble, amounting to playing poker with people's jobs, businesses and the country's economic stability
TUC's Frances O’Grady and EEF's Terry Scuoler
The EU is Britain’s biggest export market, with 47% of all UK goods making their way across the Channel, they added.
“Leaving would be a terrible gamble, amounting to playing poker with people's jobs, businesses and the country's economic stability. On this issue, manufacturing employers and trade unions are as one. Britain is better off remaining in the EU.”
“The average wage for manufacturing jobs is £100 a week higher than in the services sector,” added O’Grady.
“We cannot afford to put these jobs at risk. The TUC is in no doubt that the best thing for jobs, wages and rights at work is for the UK to remain in the EU.”
