The figures, which were discussed at GMB’s Manufacturing Conference in Brighton on Sunday 3 June, show that 599,100 jobs in the sector disappeared between 2007 and 2017 – a fall of 17%.
GMB says that the UK supported 3.5 million permanent and temporary manufacturing jobs – more than 12% of the all British employment – in 2007. However, by 2016, the figure had slumped to just 2.9 million, or 9.2% of the total.
It adds that every region in the UK has experienced a decline in manufacturing employment – with three badly affected regions – London, Scotland and the North West – having lost 27%, 22% and 21% of their manufacturing jobs respectively.
The worst affected region by total job losses was the North West, which has lost 93,500 manufacturing jobs.
The GMB’s Making It campaign is now calling on the government in invest in manufacturing and protect manufacturing jobs during Brexit.
Jude Brimble, GMB national secretary for manufacturing, said: “We are at a critical crossroads in UK manufacturing. The right support for our manufacturing sector would accelerate growth, address the skills gap and provide much provide a much-needed boost to technology, production and exports.
“A robust manufacturing base post-Brexit is vital for the UK economy, workers and local communities. The continuing decline in jobs is a result in this government's failure to deliver the certainty the industry needs.
“It begs the question; how does this add up to May's commitments that ‘the UK's post-Brexit arrangements must protect people's jobs and security’? This is why GMB Union’s Making It campaign calls for a rethink on government procurement, investment for skills and jobs across manufacturing and for a Brexit deal that delivers for workers.”
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