Rolls Royce’s announcement that it will close its factory in
Barnoldswick from this Friday (27 November) until after
Christmas, while offshoring work around the globe, has been
described as an act of ‘industrial self-mutilation’ by Unite the
union, which represents workers at the plant.
Unite members have been undertaking targeted strike action since
6 November, which was due to end on 24 December, in a campaign to
secure the future of the historic factory, the cradle of the jet
engine. The campaign has become known as the ‘Battle for
Barnoldswick’.
In a briefing staff were told that “on the basis of health and
safety” the site would close for an extended Christmas shutdown
and workers would not return until after Christmas.
They were also informed that work currently undertaken at
Barnoldswick will be immediately transferred to Japan, Singapore
and Spain.
Rolls-Royce has further announced that workers who are not part
of the current targeted industrial action will be furloughed from
Monday 30 November until Friday 18 December and will receive 80
per cent of their pay during this time.
The ‘Rolls-Royce furlough’ is not part of the government’s Job
Retention Scheme, nor is it something that has been agreed with
Unite. As a consequence Unite is seeking urgent clarification and
is considering a legal challenge to ensure the workers who were
not on strike receive 100 per cent of their wages.
Unite regional officer Ross Quinn said: “We have consistently
called on Rolls Royce to work with us to find the resolution that
the members who have given their working lives to Rolls Royce
deserve.
“However the company has shown absolutely no appetite to resolve
the dispute. The decision to lock workers out of Barnoldswick
before Christmas and to immediately offshore work at the factory
demonstrates that Rolls-Royce has no intention of negotiating or
consulting its loyal workers on its plans.
“Workers at Barnoldswick, who take huge pride in their work,
began targeted industrial action as a last resort in order to
ensure the future of the historic factory.
“By its actions today it appears that Rolls-Royce is simply not
prepared to enter into negotiations and to preserve this historic
site. Instead it has undertaken this course of action which
damages workers, the local community and the historic Rolls-Royce
brand.
“We remain committed to finding a resolution and call on the
company to meet with Unite immediately before they do irreparable
damage to this workforce and community.”
In August Rolls-Royce announced that it intended to offshore the
work on its Trent jet engine blades from Barnoldswick to a site
in Singapore, with the loss of 350 jobs. Unite has warned this
would make the factory, which Rolls-Royce has operated for over
70 years, potentially unviable.
The loss of jobs or the potential closure of the site would have
a devastating effect on the town and the community of
Barnoldswick where Rolls-Royce remains the principal employer.
Since the announcement, Unite has been campaigning to have the
decision to offshore the jet engine blade work reversed or
alternatively secure a commitment that similar work would be
transferred to the site.
Rolls-Royce’s actions are especially controversial as it is
currently in the process of securing around a billion pounds
support from the government, as part of a £5 billion refinancing
scheme, to contend with the global slowdown in the aerospace
sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Unite national officer for aerospace Rhys McCarthy said:
“Rolls-Royce actions are totally unacceptable. At a time when
they should be entering into negotiations, they have instead
locked workers out and moved work abroad.
“It is vitally important that the government and MPs make it
entirely clear to Rolls-Royce that its actions are deplorable and
should be reversed immediately.
“Since Rolls-Royce first announced its intentions, Unite has been
crystal clear that it was fully prepared to negotiate to secure
the future of Barnoldswick and this still remains the case.”
