Echo Business

Over 24,000 manufacturing jobs lost in Hampshire

10:38am Friday 27th January 2012

THE recession and stalled recovery has cost 24,000 manufacturing jobs in Hampshire, a study has shown.

Manufacturing job losses in Hampshire have been running at an average of 115 a week, an analysis by the GMB union found, leaving 65,000 jobs in the sector.

The county, excluding Southampton and Portsmouth, lost 18,600 manufacturing jobs in the four years to last summer – the fourth biggest fall of all local authorities in the country, the union said.

Portsmouth lost a net 5,300 jobs, the Isle of Wight 4,300, and Southampton 100. The city now employs about 13,000 people in manufacturing.

GMB regional secretary Richard Ascough said: “Unless action is taken to support and develop manufacturing, the economic future for this nation is bleak. Only the British state has enough strength and power to halt and reverse the decline.”

He called for more support for companies to grow, and “urgent action” to deal with a skills shortage.

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