Spirit workers to protest as fears grow over the loss of thousands of jobs amid Airbus takeover deal

Dozens of Sprit workers from Belfast will hit Parliament on Wednesday over fears more than 2,500 jobs could be lost.

More than 3,700 people work at the factory – making it one of the country’s biggest employers.

Boeing is in talks to purchase Spirit and as part of the deal, Airbus will take ownership of production of the wing for the A220 jet. – which was confirmed on Monday.

Unite union warned on Monday of the “unprecedented threat” that thousands of very well paid jobs are at risk.

Unite is calling on the government to intervene over the “potential break-up” that the Belfast aerospace company Airbus is to take over the Spirit AeroSystems operation.

Only about 800 of the 3,700 workers at the plant assemble the wings – and Boeing has indicated it is not interested in the rest of the Belfast site.

Today workers will meet Industry Minister Sarah Jones and MPs to intervene to safeguard jobs at this critical, profitable site.

Alan Perry, GMB Senior Organiser, said, “The Spirit factory is profitable and is of vital importance to the Northern Ireland economy.

“We cannot let a private company swoop in and cherry pick its favourite parts.

“Spirit workers deserve better and are here in Westminster today to make sure the Government delivers.”

On Monday 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.”

They added, “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 added, “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.”