Negative impact of Royal Mail strikes and upheaval at docks rammed home
In what’s been a week of political mayhem and madness, GCA’s head honcho ensured some sense prevailed in Westminster, highlighting the “huge negative impact” that Royal Mail strikes are having on the greeting card industry.
Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA, was invited to the Genesis Senate at the House Of Commons on Wednesday, 19 October, to ensure MPs and government have a greater understanding of issues and challenges being faced by SMEs.
At the high-profile meeting, hosted by Craig Williams MP for Montgomeryshire, Amanda was joined by representatives from other trade associations and other bodies, including the Giftware Association, which have a high proportion of SMEs as members in order that common concerns and areas for improvement reach the right ears.
“It is really important that the GCA has its place at the bigger table,” stressed Amanda. “On behalf of our industry I raised with Craig Williams the Royal Mail strikes, the ongoing challenges of exporting and the need for government support to enable small and micro-businesses to export into the EU.”
Amanda stressed that the timings of the ongoing Royal Mail strikes as well as those at Felixstowe and Liverpool docks were especially damaging to those involved in greeting cards and calendars at such a key time of year, as well as the upset caused to the many people trying to send festive messages.
Amanda also contributed to the other topics of discussion which included the ramifications of the minibudget, support for entrepreneurs starting out, navigating international trade especially the complexities of B2C trade into Europe, support to grow talent, challenges of paperwork/red tape and IR35 off-payroll working.
“It is always interesting to hear the views and experiences of those in other sectors, many of which chime with those in the greeting card industry,” Amanda told PG Buzz, who is to follow up with Mr Williams, further raising the profile of the industry as well as topics of concern which have a knock-on dampening effect on the UK economy.
Top: The Houses Of Parliament as the GCA’s Amanda Fergusson made her way to Wednesday’s meeting
