Unite: Labour must build Britain out of recession

Unite: Labour must build Britain out of recession

Unite: Labour must build Britain out of recession

Unite to give evidence to The House of Commons inquiry on Council Housing.

With a forecast by the Local Government Association that there will be two million households – 5million people – on Council Housing Waiting Lists by 2010 and with tens of thousands of construction workers being thrown on the dole, Britain’s biggest union, Unite will tomorrow, (Wednesday 25th) call on the Government “to build Britain out of recession”.

Unite will be giving evidence tomorrow, to the Inquiry by the House of Commons group on Council Housing, submitting written evidence outlining the need for a large scale building programme not only to address the housing crisis but also as an important tool in economic recovery.

Unite believes there has been an important turning of the tide in the Government’s attitude towards the clear need for decent standard social housing. This is recognition of the importance of publicly provided social housing and the central role of councils in this provision. There has been a large and growing coalition of tenants, local communities, MPs and trade unions who have consistently argued for the provision of decent social housing.

Unite Deputy General Secretary, Jack Dromey and Assistant General Secretary Gail Cartmail will, however, argue that the Government’s welcome ambitious targets for 3 million new homes will not be delivered unless the Government steps up the building of much needed council homes, bringing forward the major investment of £8billion that Ministers committed themselves to in 2007.

Unite Deputy General Secretary, Jack Dromey said:
“Labour should build Britain out of recession. Both council waiting lists and the dole queue of unemployed construction workers are lengthening daily. Last month, Gordon Brown made a very welcome commitment to a new generation of much needed council homes throughout Britain. Urgent action is now necessary. We need a ‘new deal for housing’ creating jobs in the construction industry and apprenticeships and hope for the young who need both.”

Unite Assistant General Secretary, Gail Cartmail, said:
“We believe important benefits would be felt through the housing-building supply chain providing a very welcome boost to businesses and will also support manufacturers of housing and construction materials.

“Providing high quality homes will not only pump finance into local communities, but it would also help to lessen the human cost of the economic recession with the creation of thousands of jobs.”

ENDS

For further information contact Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 7420 8914 or 07980 224761.

Notes to Editors:
Unite is the only trade union to represent members involved in every section of the wider housing agenda. Unite represents members in:

  • local government whose role involves the repair and maintenance of council housing;
  • not-for-profit sector where members work for Registered Social Landlords, and in particular supported housing where Unite members work with some of the most vulnerable people in society,
  • the construction industry which has been badly hit by the economic downturn in the housing market and the building of new homes,
  • and the financial sector.