Job fears over Bombardier cuts


Unions at Bombardier were last month demanding urgent answers after the aerospace manufacturer announced plans to axe 5,000 jobs across its international operations. 


The company said it plans to save £146 million by restructuring, but failed to inform unions which of its operations would be affected by the cuts.


Globally, Bombardier employs almost 70,000 people, including 5,500 in Northern Ireland. About 4,000 of them work in its Belfast factory making it the city’s biggest employer. It also makes trains in Derby, employing 1,600 there.


Bombardier employees in Northern Ireland had already feared job losses earlier this year following US president Donald Trump’s imposed tariffs in response to allegations of anti-competitive practices by rival firm Boeing. 


The International Trade Federation overruled Boeing’s complaint stating that Bombardier’s marketing of the new C-series jets to US airlines below cost had not caused any “injury” to rival Boeing.


Michael Mulholland, GMB regional organsier, said members had “already suffered months of uncertainty following Trump’s tariffs — now they are under the cosh again”. The Unite union said it would engage with Bombardier colleagues in other countries to coordinate a global response.

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/bombardier-union-leaders

www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/washing-hands-bombardier

https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2018/november/bombardier-announce-490-redundancies-among-northern-ireland-workforce-with-further-job-losses-likely-as-a-result-of-outsourcing-reduction-of-agency-and-contract-workers