Connarty Backs Skilled Jobs Fight.

Michael Connarty is giving a voice in Parliament to skilled workers whose jobs are under threat.

CONNARTY BACKS SKILLED JOBS FIGHT

Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP, Michael Connarty, is backing skilled workers in their fight against the government’s 330,000 job cuts. Yesterday in the House of Commons he joined dozens of other MPs in signing up to a campaign by the trade union, Prospect, called ‘I’m Not a Number’.
At the meeting, scientists, engineers, an environmental expert, a defence researcher and an air traffic controller outlined their diverse job functions and the damage to the services they provide that is being caused by government cuts. Reports from Prospect’s sectors indicate that at least 25,000 – 30,000 of the UK’s most skilled jobs are due to be cut from the economy by 2014.
Mr. Connarty said, “I stand fully behind the efforts of all working people to save their jobs. Prospect have highlighted a particular issue concerning skills. These are vital to securing the economic recovery the government says it wants, and to keep pace with the changing demands of the UK economy, intelligent government and society at large.
“We do need to remember that there are real people behind the numbers that are banded about when jobs are axed. They have families and homes to look after – and many of them live in Grangemouth, Bo’ness, Linlithgow, Bathgate, Armadale and Whitburn. Prospect’s ‘I’m Not a Number’ campaign is well directed and I give it my total support.”
Among the professional workers present yesterday was Sue Benham, an environmental scientist with the Forestry Commission. She told MPs, “Among the 300,000 staff losing their jobs will be hundreds of Forestry Commission staff. I’m not a bureaucrat, I work with others to ensure our forests remain healthy and wildlife flourishes. My colleagues here today are forensic scientists, synchrotron scientists and other skilled workers who feel they are being treated like numbers not people in the redundancy programmes being announced.”
Michael Connarty added, “It was also disturbing to learn that although the government has said that it does now want to look after our forests, it is getting rid of the very people who carry out this important work. The government must change course and reduce the deficit more gradually as Labour is proposing.”

Attached picture shows Michael Connarty with professional workers at the lobby in the Commons.

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