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

For more information contact Andrew Little on 027 551 3476 or Rob Egan on 027 276 5146.