Thousands join fight to save RR jobs
Thousands sign petition as politicians hit out at cuts
A petition calling on the Scottish Government to protect jobs at Rolls-Royce in Inchinnan has had almost 20,000 signatures in less than 24 hours.
The global aerospace giant announced it is axing 700 jobs at its Renfrewshire plant – more than half of its 1,300-strong workforce.
It blames the coronavirus pandemic on the job cuts and warned its entire service division at the plant could go entirely.
The online petition had been signed more than 18,000 times by the time the Paisley Daily Express went to press – and was still growing.
Petition organiser Ainsley Merrilees said her dad has worked at the factory for 15 years.
She said: “My dad is one of the ones who is likely to be affected by this. The Scottish Government has said it will do what it can but we need to know what that is. I’m heartened by the fact we’ve got so many signatures but it’s so sad to see such a massive company make these cuts.”
Renfrewshire politicians piled the pressure on the Scottish and UK governments yesterday amid mounting anger over Rolls-Royce job losses.
Neil Bibby MSP urged Nicola Sturgeon to do all she could at First Minister’s Questions and Gavin Newlands MP handed in a petition and quizzed the UK aviation minister Kelly Tolhurst MP in Westminister.
Their action comes as a petition urging Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government to do all it can to safeguard the jobs reached almost 20,000 signatures.
Rolls- Royce announced on Wednesday it was axing 700 jobs at its Inchinnan plant – more than half of its 1,300-strong workforce.
The axe had been hanging over staff at the site after the company announced at the end of last month it would have to make serious job cuts as a result of the global crisis.
The Inchinnan factor y manufactures compressor blades as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
All of the 700 jobs are expected to go in its services division, rather than the manufacturing side, as demand has dropped dramatically as a result of the Covid- 19 pandemic.
At Holyrood, Neil Bibby, Labour MSP for West Scotland, called for a cross-party aerospace and aviation task force.
He said: “Can I ask will the Scottish Government work with the trade unions to put pressure on Rolls-Royce to think again?
“Is the Scottish Government prepared to make significant financial support available to the sector now?
“And will the First Minister agree to establish a cross-party Aerospace and Aviation Task Force to ensure there is a co-ordinated, collective approach to support these sectors and save these jobs?”
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would continue to do everything it could to get a more positive outcome.
She added: “I’ll ask the Economy Secretary to correspond further with Neil Bibby and with others across the chamber with an interest, so that we can try to bring together, as far as we can, a team Scotland approach to safeguarding these jobs — if it as at all possible to do.”
In London, Gavin Newlands, SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, tackled the UK government on the issue.
He said: “I raised these devastating job losses with the aviation minister at an urgent question in Parliament hours after they were announced – I have to say I was incredibly disappointed with her response, which completely glossed over the fact 700 families are facing an uncertain and incredibly stressful future.
“Later that day I presented a petition in Parliament signed by over a thousand constituents urging the UK Government to pull its finger out and work with the company, trades unions, and the workforce as the Scottish Government has offered to do time and time again over recent weeks.
“The unions and workers are realistic about the current economic situation and know that change is inevitable – but they also know the work they’ve done over the years is world-leading.
“All they want is the opportunity to sit down with management and collectively come up with a way through the short- term so that they can build for the long-term at Inchinnan.
“The UK Government has to play its part in that and stop sitting on its hands while hundreds of highlyskilled jobs are threatened.”
Meanwhile thousands of people in Renfrewshire and beyond have signed the online petition and shared their heartfelt reasons for doing so.
Briani Merrilees said: “I’m directly affected by this as is a lot of other colleagues.
“We were held as an extremely flexible workforce who always went above and beyond to drive the business forward.
“We accepted relocation from East Kilbride to protect our futures, we all understand these are unprecedented times but these redundancies do not seem proportionate within the RR UK”
Another woman, Laura McDiarmid, said: “My other half thrives in this environment and he has worked extremely hard to get to the place he is in now and it is all being taken away from him.”
Jim Neeson added: “This place means the world to me.
“It grounded me as an engineer. “There are too many skilled jobs to be lost.”
A spokesperson for Rolls-Royce said voluntary redundancy was being opened to all civil aerospace employees.
She added: “We have briefed the Scottish Government and other local stakeholders on the business impact of Covid- 19 on Rolls-Royce and are keeping them up to date as our consultation process progresses.
“This number of proposed job losses is a terrible prospect for our people and the communities that are impacted, and we understand how devastating the news must be for everyone at the Inchinnan facility.”
To sign the petition, go to change. org and search for Rolls- Royce Inchinnan.
Can I ask if the Scottish Government will work with the trade unions to put pressure on Rolls Royce?