The UK government has been urged to do more to protect British manufacturing and help secure a brighter future for firms, especially those in the motor industry
In a document, 'Ripping The Heart Out of the Motor Industry', the Unite union detailed 35,000 jobs lost in the sector in the past ten years.
The union said the industry still employed 210,000 workers and contributed £9bn a year to the economy so deserved more support.
Unite said the government should invest more in training, improve employment protection and appoint a minister for manufacturing.
Derek Simpson, the union's joint general secretary said: 'The UK remains a competitive manufacturing location for automotive products, largely due to the skills of its workforce and the industry's capacity and willingness to adapt to new challenges.
'Yet too many factories are closing, sometimes with companies turning their backs on this country in search of cheaper labour elsewhere. By extending the same sort of assistance that is taken for granted in other European countries, we can build a much stronger sector and help generate more jobs and exports.'