Scale of Airbus Broughton job cuts mean Prime Minister must act now to defend UK workers warns union

The scale of Airbus Broughton job cuts means Boris Johnson must act now to defend UK workers Unite union has warned.

Airbus announced on Tuesday it is looking to shed 1700 jobs in the UK, the planemaker has said 15,000 will go globally as the company deals with the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic.  

Airbus confirmed earlier today it had begun talks with unions on reducing the Broughton workforce by 1,435.

In a statement earlier the plane maker said it has “opened a ‘national dialogue’ with social partners in the UK in the frame of its COVID-19 adaptation plan.

As part of these discussions, Airbus has confirmed the need to adjust its workforce in the UK by approximately 1,700 positions, 1,435 at Broughton and 295 at Filton in Bristol. 

These figures include integrated corporate functions which support all divisions in the UK.

This split reflects the significant impact the COVID crisis has had on the UK’s commercial-aircraft manufacturing activities which are concentrated in Broughton. 

Airbus will continue to meet regularly with its Trade Union partners in the UK in order to identify solutions that will help us implement this adaptation while minimising the social impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the Company.”

Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary said the level of job losses at Broughton far larger than originally anticipated and said it can “only bring into crystal clear focus how urgent the need for UK Government intervention now is.

Welsh Government have committed to doing everything they can, but the financial intervention that is now required to support jobs at Broughton can only come from Westminster.

Our calls for Boris Johnson’s Government to intervene in the crisis that is engulfing the aerospace sector have so far fallen on deaf ears.

They can’t hide anymore, the voices of thousands of workers and their families from across North Wales and North West England are screaming for help.

Be in no doubt the governments of France and Germany are already acting to support their aerospace workers.

If the UK Government does not do the same then our countries position as a world leader in the aerospace sector will be consigned to history”.

Daz Reynolds, Unite convenor at Airbus Broughton said members at Broughton are devastated to hear of the scale of the job losses at the site, he said: ‘We are a world class workforce who have built up Broughton to be one of the best manufacturing sites in Europe. 

The workforce recognises the enormous challenges facing Airbus and are prepared to look at every avenue available to mitigate the proposed job losses.

Unite will do everything it can to support our members following this desperate news.

Our position remains that we will not accept one single compulsory redundancy at this site.”

Minister for Economy and North Wales Ken Skates said the loss of 1,435 jobs at Broughton is a huge blow for the region and the industry. 

“My thoughts are with all those affected – the workers, their families and wider community. 

I have set out the action we will take to support Airbus, the aerospace sector and supply chain. 

We are working with all our partners, across government and cross-border.  I will leave no stone unturned to support this industry which is the lifeblood of North East Wales.

All governments must work together and we are ready to work with the UK Government.

I repeat my call to them that immediate and radical action now needs to be taken to secure the future of the aerospace sector.” The Minister said. 

During the daily Welsh government briefing today, Eluned Morgan, the international relations minister, said the news from Broughton was “devastating, not just for Airbus and the people who are employed there but it’s for the entire economy of Wales.

Clearly this is a larger number of jobs than we first feared may happen and of course this will underline our determination to ensure that we work with the people in that factory that we work with Airbus that we work with the unions.

We will make sure that we put those support mechanisms in place, crucially also, we will be working with the UK Government to make sure that we keep on pressing to see if we can get more specific support for the sector.”