The UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy, has raised concerns about Boeing’s acquisition of the Spirit Aerosystems’ workforce.

Unite, which represents the overwhelming majority of Spirit Aerosystems’ workforce across the UK, issued a press release on June 21 which stated it is “seeking urgent assurance the purchase will proceed with Airbus acquiring all those parts of the business which fall into its supply chain – keeping Belfast and Prestwick manufacturing operations intact with no loss of jobs”.

Spirit Aerosystems (formerly Bombardier and Shorts) is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest companies employing approximately 3,600 workers across its sites.

Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “It is vital that all workers are quickly given cast-iron guarantees over their futures.

“Unite will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the future of this highly-skilled and dedicated workforce at Spirit is fully protected.”

Unite estimates that a further 7,000 jobs in Northern Ireland are dependent on Spirit Aerosystems’ activities.

While most of Spirit Aerosystems’ production in Northern Ireland is for Airbus, approximately 40% of jobs are tied to lines for other manufacturers including Bombardier and Rolls-Royce.

There are approximately 1,000 workers employed at the company’s factory in Prestwick and Unite is demanding the same assurances over their futures.

Unite’s press release continued: “Any deal in which production lines or sites in the Airbus supply chain transfer to Airbus but non-Airbus production transfers to Boeing or a third-party poses a clear concern for jobs. Unite is concerned that a break-up would undermine wider economies of scale and raise a longer-term threat to all operations”.

George Brash, Unite’s regional co-ordinating officer, said: “All Spirit’s operations in Northern Ireland must transfer together – so that our members’ jobs are secure and the aerospace manufacturing base is safeguarded.”

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