Back Britain's potteries

Unite delegate Maggie Ryan seconded a motion backing Britain?s pottery industry on Tuesday (September 9).

She gave a thoughtful speech connecting the pottery industry with the UK?s wider manufacturing base, as she called for action to protect these vital industries and the jobs that depend on them.

Maggie warned the UK?s world-famous ceramics and pottery industries were ?in crisis?, noting,  ?This is not an industry ready to be confined to history. It is an industry which contributes ?1 billion to the economy and supports over 22,000 skilled workers.

?It provides jobs to swathes of the Midlands, which would otherwise be abandoned,? she added.

But the industry, alongside steel, automotive and other energy intensive sectors find themselves on the brink because of ?a toxic combination of government neglect, energy profiteering and lack of investment, which have combined to cause an existential crisis?.

?Manufacturing workers have one united message,? she said. ?We are not here to accept managed decline. We are not prepared to consign our industries to nostalgia and heritage. We need our jobs and our industries to be future-proofed.?

Maggie went on to praise the Labour government?s industrial strategy, but she warned that it falls far short of what Britain?s industries need.

?We need to see the promises to reduce industrial energy prices and connectivity delivered,? she explained. ?The government?s new energy scheme does not come into effect soon enough for many sites and it completely neglects support for sky high gas costs.?

Calling for a ?genuine procurement strategy?, Maggie said the pottery and ceramics industries should supply materials and labour to meet the government?s housebuilding targets.

?Every brick, every wall tile and every ceramic bathroom and home fitting could easily be supplied from the UK,? she said. ?We should literally be throwing the kitchen sink at it.?

Maggie highlighted the important work the TUC?s worker-led ?Just Transition? team are doing.

?Together we?re developing policy and coordinating advocacy, but most importantly, they are providing practical help to workers in manufacturing ready to take the lead in transitioning our industries,? she noted.

Concluding to applause, Maggie called for ongoing work to ?futureproof? manufacturing industries, including potteries.

The motion was carried.

By Hajera Blagg

Photo by Mark Thomas