Unite the union which represents the majority of the 3,600 Spirit
Aerospace workers has called on prime minister and ensure the retention of
the company's skilled workforce.
Last week, the Prime Minister visited the Airbus factory in
Broughton, Wales where he announced a £49 million investment. At
the event, he hailed the UK aerospace industry as ‘world-class'
and committed his government to accelerate our investment
to “unlock the tech of the future and make a
crucial step forward… to deliver growth and opportunity across
our country”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
said, “Unite welcomes the
government's ambition for aerospace but this must translate
into practical action such as safeguarding jobs at
Spirit in Northern Ireland.
“It is unacceptable that this uncertainty is
still hanging over one of Northern Ireland's most vital
industries. The government must intervene now to secure
a transfer of all sites and all jobs to a single entity
– this y far the best way to safeguard jobs and
skills.”
As part of the Boeing takeover of Spirit Aerosystems, Airbus has
expressed an interest in buying its own wing production lines in
Northern Ireland which currently employ approximately 1,100.
There remains uncertainty over the future of the remaining
production lines and questions for the future of manufacturing at
the Spirit sites.
Unite regional officer George Brash said: “For
more than 100 years aircraft have been built in Northern Ireland.
This is one of our most economically vital sectors and sustains a
huge chunk of our economy. The continued uncertainty is totally
unacceptable.
“The government must intervene to ensure that all
sites and production transfer together. If the government's words
about ‘growth and opportunity is to have meaning it must use
those powers to secure jobs and capacity at
Spirit.”
