August 7, 2007

EPMU welcomes manufacturing strategy

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union welcomes the Government’s response to the manufacturing industry initiative, Manufacturing +.

One of the Government’s responses to the Manufacturing + report has been to set up a Manufacturing Advisory Group, which will be co-chaired by EPMU National Secretary Andrew Little and Business NZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly.

Little says New Zealand’s manufacturing sector is facing serious issues.

“There are nearly a quarter of a million jobs in the manufacturing sector in New Zealand. That’s nearly a quarter of a million reasons to get manufacturing right.

“New Zealand’s manufacturing sector faces global competition, a high dollar and capacity constraints, but with this initiative and the measures already announced in the Budget we’re seeing a real willingness from this Government to secure the future of manufacturing in this country.

“The Government’s response recognises that securing a future for manufacturing is going to take a whole-industry approach and it’s good to see unions are being recognized as key stakeholders and participants right from the start.”

The EPMU is New Zealand’s largest manufacturing union.

ENDS