TUC: 'The North East could lose out on thousands of jobs due to Brexit'

The Trade Union Congress’ (TUC) general secretary, Frances O’Grady is to deliver a speech today (April 21) in Newcastle on the impact of Brexit on working people in the region.

Frances will use her address to the Northern TUC annual conference to warn that 100,000 jobs in the region are at risk if the UK gets the wrong deal.

She is said to be discussing: “The government’s own analysis shows that 100,000 jobs in this region are linked to trade with the EU. That’s one in 12.

“But with just a year to go until Brexit, the people doing those jobs are in the dark about what’s going to happen.

“Ministers are so unprepared that we’re still facing a real risk of Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal. And if that happens, the North East will be hit harder than any other part of the UK, losing a massive 16 per cent of regional growth.”

‘Real’ wages in the North East are still around £15 per week lower than they were in 2008. O’Grady believes that Theresa May, along with the government, isn’t taking the region’s opinions on Brexit seriously.

“After the vote, Theresa May promised to listen to people in places like Berwick, Middlesbrough and Darlington, to ensure they got more jobs, more investment and more opportunities to thrive.

“In reality, the opposite has happened. The terms of Brexit are being decided by factions within the Conservative Party. And the interests of ordinary working people aren’t getting a look in.”

The TUC believes that the North East voted to be out of the EU, but not to be ‘poor’ because of it or lose their rights to work.

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