GMB trade union launch Making It Campaign
24 May 2018

On Tuesday 22nd May, the GMB North West & Irish Region hosted the launch of GMB MAKING IT Campaign, which is a National initiative being organised by the GMB Manufacturing Section.

The event had a full house with over 60 people filling the Dougie Henry Education Suite at GMB Regional Office in Liverpool.

The Event was Chaired by Andy Irving GMB Manufacturing National President and speakers include Kathleen Walkershaw GMB European Officer who gave an inciteful talk on the issues around Brexit and their potential impact on manufacturing in the region,  especially the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland border issues.

Discussions were held on creating new regional manufacturing forums and work will begin on that over the summer. These forums will be the voice of the manufacturing members in the region and will feed into national manufacturing forums.

The reason behind the campaign is that GMB is proud of our manufacturing members, proud of our heritage and ambitious for the future of manufacturing in the UK. 

Some of the country’s best loved products are made by GMB members – but it’s fair to say that they don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

Manufacturing needs to be at the heart of any industrial strategy if the Government is to build a strong and sustainable recovery.

Politicians talk the talk, but that’s not enough. Who can forget the betrayal of Teeside Steelworks, the cancelling of the Sheffield Forgemasters loan or the devastation of a once-proud textiles industry?

With real challenges on the horizon, we all need to stand up for manufacturing in the UK.

Above all, we need to tackle the myth that Britain ‘doesn’t make things anymore.’ That’s why GMB has launched the We’re Making It campaign. 

Celebrating our members’ achievements and diversity; campaigning to protect fair wages and high-skilled jobs.

That’s what this campaign is all about. It’s time that manufacturing workers were given the support and recognition they deserve. GMB is right behind them. 

The GMB Key demands call on all governments of the UK to:

·         Invest in manufacturing - and create an environment that encourages manufacturing employers to invest

·         Buy for Britain – we need a procurement strategy that supports UK industries and supported employment

·         Negotiate trade deals that deliver for workers and industry, avoiding damaging tariffs on British goods

·         Build strong UK-based supply chains to support local communities

·         Support equality and inclusion by tackling barriers to work wherever they exist

·         Invest in skills, research and development, and the technologies of tomorrow

·         Pursue a balanced energy policy that provides sustainability and security for the UK and our nations industries

For more info on the campaign please click on the link below to the Making It website. This website has all the information and downloadble and printable resourses that were available to the Activists who attended.

https://www.making-it.org.uk/

Contacts:

Regional Manufacturing Senior organiserneil.holden@gmb.org.uk

National Secretary for Manufacturing – jude.brimble@gmb.org.uk

GMB North West & Irish Region

GMB: We're Making It