A ‘just transition’ for workers in the automotive sector? Survey evidence from the West Midlands

Abstract

Employment in the automotive sector is typically spatially concentrated and hence the impact of the transition to low-carbon technologies will have profound subnational effects. Although there is a rich literature around the spatial impact of automotive plant closures, the novelty of this paper lies in its focus on the impact on workers throughout the supply chain in the automotive sector. As such, this paper reports on lessons for supplier firms and workers in the West Midlands, in facilitating a ‘Just Transition’ in the automotive sector. The primary data collection consisted of a workforce survey in the UK of members of the Unite union (automotive section). Policy implications are explored with suggestions for further research on skills needs and the development of training provisions, to be conducted on a collaborative basis.