Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BOMBARDIER BOMBSHELL
Up to 600 jobs facing the axe at Belfast plant Call for Stormont to safeguard vital aerospace sector
It is a huge blow to the workforce and the economy
inaction from the Stormont Executive. Governments in many other countries have announced major interventions to safeguard jobs.
“France has just announced a €16billion programme for their aerospace and aviation sectors to safeguard jobs, from engineers to airline and airport staff.
“Similar measures are needed at a UK and Northern Ireland level. Unless a specific support package is brought forward soon, including measures such as an aircraft scrappage scheme, then thousands of jobs will be lost and the UK will lose its standing as a world leader in aerospace.
“Public money invested to secure this industry would be recouped through the taxes and contributions of all those who would otherwise be forced onto dole queues and could be matched with equity stakes and tied to a transition to greener aircraft.
“The action to save this sector needs to come from Government.
Where is Stormont’s strategy to safeguard aerospace from the Covid downturn?”
GMB senior organiser Denise Walker added the news “casts a shadow of uncertainty over the entire aerospace sector in Northern Ireland”.
She said: “Today’s job losses will be felt by every member of our unions – it is a bitter blow.
“Aerospace is a
UNITE YESTERDAY
vital element of Northern Ireland manufacturing and has a global footprint.
“The workforce unions, the GMB and Unite, will be seeking urgent meetings with political leaders in the hours and days to come. “We will continue to engage with our members and to provide all the support and help to those facing redundancy as a result of today’s announcement.”