Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Days 2010
David Bailey, Coventry University Business School, UK Caroline Chapain, CURS, Birmingham Business School, UK
Outline
1. Introduction / background 2. The MG Rover research project 3. Surveys of workers and the spatial impact of plant closure 4. Overview of workers in 2008-2009 5. Training and policy support 6. Different pathways, different stories 7. Conclusions and policy recommendations
Entering and securing high-value market segments Cross-sector fertilisation Repositioning within the global value chain
MG Rover case
Closed in 2005, with the loss of 6300 jobs directly, c 3000 more in supply chain Major economic shock in city and region MGR: turnover = as much as 1% regional GDP 200 million in lost govenment revenue Owed 1.4 bn to creditors; 104m to suppliers - received 1p in How was this dealt with, and what were the outcomes?
Business Support
170 component suppliers received cash through the wage replacement scheme; This kept around 3000 workers in jobs during the critical months after collapse, with 1329 confirmed saved Advantage Transition Fund: make loans to firms
2. The workers...
Where are the ex-workers 3-4 years after the closure?
Where the workers have found work and where they live? How the workers have been affected by the closure and how they have coped? What support they have had, how useful it was? What work or education or training they have gone onto? Where they have worked? Whether they have experienced unemployment? How they feel about their new jobs? What has been the impact of the closure on their health?
2. The workers
Third wave survey of ex MG Rover workers in April 2008 based on two previous surveys from the Work Foundation. Follow up, in depth interviews in 2008/9. UNIQUE LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS Three Waves: Wave 1: July 2005 (3 months after the closure) Wave 2: December 2005 (8 months after the closure) Wave 3: April 2008 (3 years after the closure) In April 2008, 204 respondents participated in the survey 176 from Waves 1 and 2, 9 from Wave 1 and 19 new volunteers.
In 2005, MG Rover workers 44% lived in Birmingham 24% in the Black country 12% in Bromsgrove 3% in Solihull 18% in the rest of the WM and England.
4. Overview of workers
By 2008, 90% were in work, mostly in full-time work.
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4. Overview of workers
Their overall activity rate (in work and looking for work) equaled 95% which is above the regional average (83%) 86% are on permanent contract
However 65% of the employed and 85% of the unemployed stated having faced difficulty: Too many people applying for the same job Age Lack of skills and experience
4. Overview of workers
1/3 of workers in full-time job in 2008 reported having had at least another job before; This proportion rose to 70% for those in unemployment; 100% for those in part-time job; 75% for those inactive and not looking for work.
4. Overview of workers
For 70% of workers, personal connections and own initiative played an important role in finding a job.
How respondents heard about their job?
35.0 30.0 25.0 28.7 26.6
Percentages
4.3 2.7
5.9
6.9
8.0
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4. Overview of workers
Still a high proportion of manufacturing work but a conversion towards services
Employees jobs by industries: Wave 3 respondents versus West Midlands economy.
90 80 70 60
Percentages
50 40 30 20 10 0
Manufacturing Construction Services Distribution, hotels & restaurants Transport & communications Finance, IT, other business activities Public admin, education & health Other services
4. Overview of workers
A mix of upward and downward mobility in terms of occupations 34% have higher occupational roles 31% have lower occupational roles More than 60% have now a different role using different skills A median annual salary decrease of 5,640 (adjusted for inflation) Only 28% think that their current job is better than the one they had at MG Rover but 63% see themselves doing it for the foreseable future.
4. Overview of workers
Longer Commute
better job quality more skill use more autonomy more challenge at work less anxiety
To in cr ea se
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
5.0
th ei ro pp or tu To ni ti e ch s an ge ca re er /v oc at io n U na bl e to fi n d re qu ire m en Jo b
12.6
w or k in th ei r f ie ld w ith th ei rq ua l ifi ca ti o ns ne m pl oy ed U
7.7
At tra ct ed by th e
7.1
Fo un d
3.8
3.3
sa ti s fa ct io n Su gg es te d/ O ffe re d To do
3.3 2.7
so m et hi ng
1.1
Wide ranging and speedy policy response 86% made a benefit claim (82% registered within two weeks) Most used policy support: job fair, information on job opportunities, help from job centre plus, free place on a training course Most helpful support: free travel to a training course or job interview; a free place on a training course; being sent on a training course by a new employer; help with setting up a business. yet most people who found a new job did so through their own initiative or through personal contacts 70%
Age Qualification level Managerial position Using same skill Now working in services Had training since leaving MG Rover Travel distance Median income Proportion who increased their income 30% 30% 7% 40% 56% 25% 56% 68% 66% 47% 46% 36%
7. Conclusions: Work
90% of ex-workers were back in work 3 years on. Most in full-time job with permanent contract or self-employment. BUT; interviews in 2009 suggest some have lost jobs again Difficulties in finding work: age, skills/experience and too many people applying. Personal initiative and networks have been key to exworkers finding their current job. 60% use different skils to those used at MG Rover Jobs are diversified with only 30% in manufacturing and a mix of lower and higher occupational status. Different pathways back into work
7. Conclusions:Policy
Policy measures had varying degrees of success Policy: Proactive and reactive policies required Advance action and rapid response crucial Need for institutional capacity ( Regional Task Forces) Need to support good quality manufacturing jobs Avoiding sudden closures and try to slow down the process Ensure that employees have skills to cope as industries change, through high quality, flexible education, training, information and mobility programmes (ability to travel). Tailored response