Community: The Union for Life

President, Congress, Lee Bradshaw, Community seconding the composite.

Congress, we’ve heard a lot about Government cuts to the public sector and we know that they will also have a devastating impact on the private sector.

I want to talk about direct cuts to the private sector. I’m talking here about the loan to Sheffield Forgemasters, which the ConDems cancelled.

The loan would have enabled the company to install new press and plant so that the company could become a world leader in manufacturing parts for the civil nuclear industry.

It would have created 200 jobs, and secured many more.

It would have demonstrated a commitment to British manufacturing,

and shown the Government are prepared to drive essential economic growth through investment.

It was a hand up not a hand out.

The ConDem government failed on all counts.

Shame on them!

This is short-sighted and short-term penny-pinching.

The decision has been rightly criticised from all corners.

Nick Clegg – a Sheffield MP – showed he was prepared, not only to sell his party down the river

but also the people of Sheffield who he’s supposed to represent.

I work for Corus – we compete with Forgemasters in many areas but I still think this is a disgrace because it shows what the ConDems think about our industry and manufacturing.

They pay lip service but if they need to put their hand in their pocket that’s where the support ends.

Congress, our industry needs active industrial policy. Not just here in the UK but also built and implemented with our partners in Europe.

If we want to rebalance our economy, we must invest in and support our manufacturing.

We as unions should form a view about what practical policy we want to see.

We’ve started that process today.

And Community looks forward to working with our sister trade unions to take this forward tomorrow.

Support the composite.

Thank You.