NEARLY 13,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in Northern Ireland since 2010, according to figures from the GMB union.
It has analysed ONS data going back over more than a decade, all under Tory-led governments, and almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs have been axed across the UK in that time.
It says its "damning statistics" show the number of jobs in the sector has dropped by 192,500 from 2,882,100 to 2,689,600, which is a decline of 6.7 per cent.
But in Northern Ireland, where manufacturing is the second largest industrial sector and is worth more than £16 bilion a year to the regional economy, the percentage decline is double that average, falling by 14.6 per cent from 88,500 to 75,600, which equates to 12,900 jobs.
Only Scotland had a bigger fall at 15.7 per cent.
GMB national officer Charlotte Brumpton-Childs said: “The loss of almost 200,000 jobs is devastating for those workers – and their wider communities.
“Every job lost means a household income more stretched. In the worst cost of living crisis for a generation we need more decent, skilled jobs – not to shed them at this rate.
“Ministers must address this urgently or there could be worse to come.”
She added: “The global green jobs race could revolutionise UK manufacturing – creating tens of thousands of jobs in fabrication for new wind, solar and nuclear.
“But this Government seems happy to let them all disappear overseas.”
