LONDON - The Tobacco Workers' Alliance (TWA) has said that the proposed ban on smoking in the UK would affect about 32,000 jobs. The group, which is comprised of Amicus, Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) and GMB trade union members expressed concern that Prime Minister Tony Blair’s decision to enforce the ban in totality by 2008 could prove costly for its members in the UK Tobacco industry.
"Since 1997 we have seen the closure of factories in Manchester, Darlington and Spennymoore, to name but a few. This has led to over 2,500 job losses as a direct result of relentlessly hostile legislation towards the tobacco industry," said Brenda Warrington, chairman of the Tobacco Workers' Alliance. The group represents about 6,800 workers. Ms Warrington added that a total ban on smoking in public would have "a severe negative impact on local economies and service industries across the UK that depend upon the tobacco industry."
In totality, the UK tobacco industry employs about 6,000 workers directly, while an additional 20,000 workers are involved in the supply chain. The sales and distribution segment employs about 55,000 workers. "A recent Centre of Economics and Business and Research (CEBR) survey revealed that even under the current proposals, 32,000 jobs will be lost across the hospitality industry and profits will drop by GBP230 million," Warrington said. She was of the opinion that sensible legislation would be welcomed across the spectrum and hasty decisions would only bring anguish.
The move towards a total smoking ban is not a novel step as Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Italy, besides New York and California already have such restrictions in place. The UK government estimated that it could save up to $7 billion by enforcing the ban since sickness and death associated with smoking would drastically come down.
Although, anti-smoking groups have welcomed this step, the unions have expressed reservations, "We acknowledge the importance of protecting the welfare of our colleagues in the hospitality industry and support proposals for reasonable and sensible restrictions on smoking in workplaces and public places. We are united with the hospitality industry when we reject calls for a total smoking ban," Warrington concluded.
Posted
on : Mon, 05 Sep 2005 19:05 GMT | General News
By : Anne Philips
|
