‘Cautious welcome’ for Bombardier sale

Welcoming the announcement of the sale of Bombardier’s Aerospace manufacturing operation to aerospace components manufacturer Spirit Aero Systems, Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “Today’s deal will see Bombardier’s footprint here transfer as a whole to one of the world’s largest independent producers of aero-structures.

“This outcome comes off the back of a Unite delegation of shop stewards led by myself flying to meet the Bombardier chief executive and senior management team in Montreal.

“We are pleased that Bombardier has heeded our call to be a responsible seller and the need for Bombardier aero-structures production to be transferred as a whole to a company with an excellent track record in aerospace rather than a short-termist hedge fund.

“It is a sale that offers hope for a positive future for Bombardier workers in Northern Ireland and their colleagues in the supply chain.

“I have written to Spirit’s chief executive officer Tom Gentile and look forward to meeting him in the weeks ahead to discuss future investment and plans for growth and jobs.”

Susan Fitzgerald, Unite regional coordinating officer, added: “It’s no surprise that Bombardier has been able to find a commercial bidder for its operations here in Northern Ireland. These workers and the skills base they possess are world class and offer any prospective owner a huge platform for future growth.

“Unite welcomes this announcement and hopes that it will be followed up by investment for growth in the future. Such investment would be good news for the workers and would secure a future at the forefront of the aerospace manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland.

“Our next order of business is to meet with Spirit to ensure that our members’ interests are kept to the forefront in this change of ownership.”

GMB, the union for Bombardier workers, has offered a ‘cautious welcome’ to the sale of the Belfast plant today.

It was announced this morning Spirit Aerosystems will be taking over the facility, with the deal set to be closed in early 2020.

Alan Malcolm, GMB Senior Steward, stated: “After years of job losses and cost-cutting and devastating uncertainty, Bombardier’s skilled workers in Belfast finally have cause for hope.

“GMB cautiously welcomes this sale, but is eager to speak to Spirit Aerosystems management as soon as possible to get assurances on jobs, terms and conditions and pensions.

“We need reassurances on their intentions for the future of Belfast operations, and exploring opportunities to bring in new manufacturing, assembly and engineering work.”