Australia’s biggest manufacturing union slammed Tony Abbott’s record of destroying manufacturing jobs by placing ads in every major tabloid newspaper today.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union says that Mr Abbott is jeopardising the future of energy efficient and renewable energy manufacturing by opposing any real action on climate change.

AMWU National Secretary, Dave Oliver, said that Tony Abbott’s record was appalling and his policies would devastate the manufacturing sector.

“When the Howard Government’s US Free Trade Agreement was destroying Australian manufacturing jobs, Tony Abbott was cheering from the front. And when our industries were facing up to the Global Financial Crisis, he opposed the programs that kept an extra 50 000 manufacturing workers employed.

“Manufacturing workers know that a large part of our future depends on jobs in new technology industries. We are sick of Tony Abbott visiting workplaces trying to scare people with misinformation about their jobs,” said Mr Oliver.

Mr Abbott visited auto factories two weeks ago and failed to tell workers that he would cut $500 million from a funding program which has assisted with the development of a more fuel-efficient engine in the Falcon, the hybrid Camry, and the 4-cylinder Holden Cruze.

The AMWU’s support for a carbon price is conditional on investment programs to assist the manufacturing industry create jobs in low emissions and clean technology.

The union last week called on the Gillard Government to support a $6.5 billion plan for jobs the low emission and clean technology sector.

“The global clean technology sector is worth over $6 trillion and Australia needs to be in a position to get our share of those jobs,” said Mr Oliver.

“If the government puts enough money from the carbon price into industry policy and technology development, we can be a winner on jobs in a lower-carbon economy.”

“Tony Abbott’s direct action plan has been roundly criticised by economists and many members of his own party strongly disagree with him. His lack of a real plan along with his record on manufacturing is the biggest concern for jobs.”