potteries - exported to china
WORKERS, JULY 2003 ISSUE
A further 1,000 jobs are to be lost at Wedgwood potteries at Stoke on Trent. This follows the 1,400 jobs lost in 2001. Now fewer than 2,000 jobs remain. Wedgwood is shipping production to China.
China is supposedly up to 80% cheaper in production terms than Britain. Yet even though the average wage in the Potteries is just £12,500, job losses have led to membership of the Ceramic and Allied Trade Union falling by 75% in the past 25 years. The companies and the brand names remain the same, but production is being exported lock, stock and barrel.