March 12, 2007

Local manufacturing crucial for NZ's future, says EPMU

The New Zealand Institute's latest report on exporting ignores the place of New Zealand workers in manufacturing and the need to keep work here for the long term good of the sector, says the country's largest manufacturing union.

The report says New Zealand companies should contract their manufacturing work offshore in response to the tightening labour market and demands for less shipping of goods.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union National Secretary Andrew Little says if New Zealand is going to have a thriving manufacturing sector then we need to maintain production capability in this country.

"If we are serious about a future for manufacturing in New Zealand, especially higher value-added manufacturing, then we need to keep production facilities here and continue to invest in a workforce to support this.

"It is not possible to achieve success in manufacturing if we don't have knowledge, understanding and experience in manufacturing in this country, and the New Zealand Institute report is deficient when it fails to acknowledge this.

"We won't build an economy off us all being design technicians and head office staff, as the report suggests."

He says any credible report into the future of manufacturing will need to take into account the views of workers.

"If the New Zealand Institute is serious about building consensus about what is needed for this country's economic future it might want to start involving workers' representatives so its reports at least acknowledge their stake in the industry's future."

ENDS

© Scoop Media