FOUR thousand six hundred jobs have been axed at Rolls-Royce which ‘will not only have a devastating impact on workers but also on the economy’ GMB warned yesterday, while Unite said that the city of Derby, where most of the jobs were based will be hit hard.
Unite assistant general secretary for aerospace, Steve Turner, said: ‘This announcement will be deeply unsettling for Rolls-Royce workers and their families and could have a dire economic impact on local communities reliant on Roll-Royce jobs.
‘There is a real danger that Rolls-Royce will cut too deep and too fast with these job cuts, which could ultimately damage the smooth running of the company and see vital skills and experience lost.
‘Unite will be offering our members maximum support through this process and seeking assurances on no compulsory redundancies from Rolls-Royce for Unite members affected by this announcement.’
Ross Murdoch, GMB National Officer, said: ‘Ministers will rightly come under pressure today over the job losses at Rolls Royce. These type of quality, well-paid and skilled jobs will not be easily replaced – it will have a devastating impact on workers but also the economy.
‘GMB union has been calling on politicians to act as a matter of urgency to invest in our UK manufacturing sector which employs thousands of people across the country. The Prime Minister needs to get a grip and give UK manufacturers and the workforce the certainty they desperately need and deserve.’
Lesley Waudby, GMB Regional Organiser, said: ‘This is devastating news for our members and their families. Unfortunately we have been in this position with Rolls Royce before through peaks and troughs and GMB has a record of supporting our members through this and retaining quality engineering, manufacturing and administration jobs in Derby. We will continue to work with Rolls Royce to minimise job losses.’
Chris Williamson, Labour MP for Derby North, said the job cuts were ‘a damning indictment’ of the government’s hands-off industrial policy. Currently we have private shareholders directing the fate of some of Britain’s most premier firms, with total disregard for the economic needs of the country. The government has to intervene,’ he said.
