Potential break-up of Spirit constitutes an unprecedented threat to Northern Ireland aerospace, wider economy and society
 
Unite, the leading trade union at Spirit Aerosystems, has called on the UK government to intervene to secure employment and the future of Northern Ireland aerospace.
 
The call follows this morning’s announcement by Airbus that it would only buy Spirit production lines within its own supply chain. The development is the latest in the wider Boeing takeover of Spirit operations globally.
 
Approximately 1,000 workers employed on the manufacture of Airbus wings will be taken on by the company directly. The 400-500 working on Airbus fuselage and other production lines for Spirit will be taken on by Airbus but with longer-term uncertainty outside the current contract period.
 
The remainder of the workforce – over 2,000 workers – are employed on non-Airbus work. As yet, these workers do not know the identity of their future employer and have no assurances for their employment.
 
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Hundreds of highly skilled Spirit workers are facing an uncertain future. The UK government must now intervene to secure not just the workers but the future of Northern Ireland aerospace.
 
“The government has huge leverage over the key players – billions in contracts and government grants go to these aircraft manufacturers. It cannot drop the ball and allow the collapse of Northern Ireland’s strategic and world-class aerospace sector. Government needs to deliver for Northern Ireland.”
 
Unite is seeking the transfer of all Spirit sites and production in Northern Ireland to a single aircraft manufacturer. This would secure onsite and regional synergies and economies of scale and is the best way to safeguard jobs and the future of Northern Ireland’s aerospace sector. The demand is backed by all local political parties and Stormont ministers.
 
Unite calculates that around 10,000 jobs across the whole of Ireland are reliant on Spirit Aerospace.
 
Unite Ireland secretary Susan Fitzgerald said, “Aerospace is a critical and high-value sector at the heart of Northern Ireland’s economy. Production at Spirit is central to that with a supply chain extending across the region and indeed the whole island.
 
“The potential break up of Spirit is not just a huge threat to our members’ livelihoods but is an unprecedented threat to Northern Ireland’s economy and society.”
 
Representatives of the workforce and of the union will travel to Westminster on Wednesday 30 April to press their case with MPs and for meetings with government ministers.
 
Ends
 
For further information or to arrange an interview contact Donal O’Cofaigh, Unite Campaigns, Communications & Press (NI), tel. 07810 157926.