The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) has won the support of the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) – Australia’s peak industry body for manufacturing – for its Manufacturing our Future campaign which is lobbying to gain Labor seats in the lead-up to the New South Wales election this Saturday.
The AMWU has launched a national television and online advertising campaign to prevent further budget cuts, following the Federal Government’s decision to cut $800 million from car assistance programs to put towards infrastructure and relief efforts in Queensland’s flood-damaged areas.
The Union’s national secretary, Dave Oliver, “is angry that the Government dumped its Green Car Innovation Fund and is very concerned about the future of key industry research and development programs,” the AMWU website says.
See Dave Oliver lobbying for manufacturing on Lateline here.
Oliver is urging the Labor Government to change its mind on carbon pricing, or else it might lose seats at the election.
He says the Government will suffer if it doesn’t listen to unions and consult them before making rash budgetary decisions that affect factory jobs.
Ai Group chief executive, Heather Ridout, is supporting Oliver and the AMWU, claiming the Union’s Manufacturing our Future campaign “shines another important light on the critical role that our manufacturing industry has in maintaining a balanced and diversified economy in Australia.”
"The union raises some important issues and Ai Group supports a number of the campaign’s key objectives especially related to maintaining our R&D spend, developing a skilled workforce and ensuring that Australian companies are able to compete on a level playing field internationally,” Ridout said.
"While manufacturing has shown enormous resilience in recent years, it continues to face strong headwinds including from the high dollar, rising prices for resources and energy, higher interest rates and wage pressures. In this environment, a strong focus on the future of the sector should be a high priority for policy makers at all levels.”
A new poll commissioned by the AMWU also reveals that communities in Labor heartland seats in Victoria and South Australia are concerned about the future of Australian manufacturing.
AMWU’s Oliver said the Union would be campaigning in these key manufacturing areas to encourage Government investment in jobs and local industries.
“The clear feedback from people in these electorates is that more must be done to promote and develop Australia’s manufacturing industry,” said Oliver.
Ai Group’s Ridout says focusing on research and development is the key to the survival of the manufacturing industry in Australia, and the Federal Government has a responsibility to help fund these ventures.
"Ai Group has long advocated the need to have in place an effective range of R&D programs which will provide the framework and incentives necessary to help Australian businesses to successfully compete globally. The maintenance of national investment in this area is crucial in the upcoming budget,” she said.
"We need to strongly lift our efforts to address skill shortages across the country if we are to deal with the growing economic impacts of the resources boom. However, while investment in training is the key priority, immigration programs will remain essential to delivering skilled workers when and where we need them.
"In terms of investment in green technology, to be successful any policies in this area will need to be well coordinated with existing energy and industry frameworks and be based on sound economic considerations.”
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