Skills bodies representing major employers from across the manufacturing sector have backed union learning and are calling on the government to reverse its decision to cut the Union Learning Fund.

In a letter sent to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, seven CEOs from employer-facing organisations say the move will weaken the workforce, damage businesses and worsen the economic crisis.

One of the signatories Ann Watson, CEO of engineering skills charity Enginuity, said:

The timing of this decision is bizarre in the extreme.”

These two vital skills operations are needed more now than ever – just as a tsunami of redundancies will crash across the country.

These two initiatives would have played a significant role in supporting employees, the businesses they work for – and the UK economy. The Government needs to urgently rethink this decision.”

Ann will be joining Dame Judith Hackett and Tony Burke for a panel on skills and manufacturing at the unionlearn Annual Conference on 3rd November.

Many workplaces have been supported by the projects, including thousands threatened by redundancy.

The letter states:

Speaking on behalf of the whole sector we would urge you to reconsider the decision to remove funding for ULF and unionlearn. In the manufacturing sector this will lead to a reduction in support for workers and employers who are doing their utmost to upskill and retrain in these very challenging times.”

Other signatories to the letter are:

Stephen Phipson – CEO of Make UK

Iain Wright CBE – CEO of the Food & Drink Federation;

Dr Laura Cohen MBE –  CEO of the British Ceramic Federation;

Justine Fosh – CEO of Cogent Skills;

James Selka – CEO of The Manufacturing Technologies Association;

Dick Elsy CBE - CEO of the HVM Catapult.

Find out more about unionlearn, the people it supports and the resources it has produced on the unionlearn website.