WIREDGOV

TUC Cymru yesterday (Monday) warned of the serious threat to Welsh industries like automotive, metals and plastic manufacturing posed by policies put forward by Conservatives and Reform. 

• Union body launches “Save Welsh Industry – No More Site Closures!” campaign with 5-point plan to defend industrial jobs -calling on all parties to improve policies 
• All parties need to improve policies, but Reform and Conservatives current position poses biggest threat – putting 40,000 jobs on the line, according to TUC analysis 
• Welsh areas most at risk are Flintshire, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthernshire. Over 500 jobs at risk in 17 of 22 Local Authorities in Wales, says TUC 

This week in Deeside and Swansea, Welsh industrial workers and the TUC are launching “Save Welsh Industry – No More Site Closures!”, to fight for their future and defend industrial jobs. 

The campaign is calling on all politicians to commit to its 5-point plan, and to set out their plans to protect and build industry in Wales in the run up to the election. 

Welsh industrial jobs at risk 

New TUC analysis models the expected impact on Welsh industrial jobs of political parties on course to do well in the Welsh elections in May.  

The analysis assessed which manufacturing jobs are most at risk of becoming uncompetitive or being offshored if industrial upgrades are not delivered due to party positions on investment into industrial upgrades, and modelled locations and numbers of jobs threatened. 

All parties need to step up and improve their offer. While the positions of some parties like Plaid Cymru, Labour and the Greens included positive components, these parties still need to take more action to meet campaign demands.  

Reform’s stated policy to end investment into clean industrial upgrades was assessed as threatening 39,873 industrial jobs in Wales.  

Conservative policies would threaten similar numbers of jobs, but with a lower likelihood.  

In comparison, Plaid, Labour, Greens and Lib Dems have all made stronger commitments to retaining or expanding clean industrial upgrades. 

Flintshire, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire are the local authorities most at risk from  job losses, with over 2,000 industrial jobs at risk in each. 

7,765 auto workers are threatened, as are 7,544 metals workers and 5,813 plastics & rubber workers. These are both direct and indirect in the supply chain in Wales. 

Tory industrial neglect has pushed Welsh industry to the brink 

Too many Welsh industrial sites have already been forced to close or shrink, with thousands of good jobs slashed due to 14 years of Conservative governments starving industry of investment and support, according to TUC Cymru. 

TUC Cymru says that the industrial and trade policies of Tory Westminster governments undermined Welsh manufacturing and offshored production. This pushed factories, car plants and manufacturing sites in Wales to the brink. In 2024, thousands of steel workers in Port Talbot lost their jobs when Tata closed the blast furnaces, after years of underinvestment and the Conservative Government failing to develop a plan in time to save the site. 

Industrial pride in the future: Save Welsh Industry 

That’s why this week in Deeside and Swansea, Welsh industrial workers and the TUC are launching “Save Welsh Industry – No More Site Closures”, to fight for their future and defend industrial jobs.  

TUC Cymru says “Wales is at a crossroads” – and that Wales' once thriving industry that supported families and communities can prosper again.  

The union body says a “thriving, united Wales that works for everyone is possible, with good quality, futureproofed jobs for people today and future generations”. 

The analysis shows that further plant closures can be prevented with action from Westminster and the Senedd.  

The Save Welsh Industry campaign has a 5-point plan for the Welsh and UK government to collaborate to protect Welsh industry: 

1. Cut electricity costs: Deliver energy independence to reduce dependence on Putin and volatile gas prices, and strengthen and bring forward measures to reduce industrial electricity costs like BICS, aiming for price parity with EU competitors. 
2. Invest in clean industrial upgrades: Expand and accelerate public investment into clean industrial upgrades and infrastructure so that Welsh industry is competitive. This should include dedicate funding from the National Wealth Fund. 
3. Fix trade: Implement trade policy designed to prevent offshoring of jobs and emissions, by promoting domestic industry and prevent dumping of cheap, high carbon goods and materials.  
4. Use Procurement Power to buy Welsh: Make strategic procurement decisions and leverage the £700bn planned for major infrastructure to use Welsh-made steel, cement and materials. 
5. Strengthen Worker Voice: Industrial workers should be a critical delivery partner in the transformation and protection of our industries. Government should embed worker voice into site and sectoral transition planning at every level, including through a Futureproofing Industry Strategy.  

Click here for the full press release