BY RYAN FLETCHER
Unite members win significant victories – despite government’s lack of support Unite manufacturing members in
Northern Ireland have shown the power in a union with two stunning victories at Harland and Wolff and Wrightbus in recent months.
But if there had been a Labour government the uncertain economic circumstances that many manufacturing firms struggle in, including Harland and Wolff and Wrightbus, would be resolved.
In October, triumphant Harland and Wolff staff on walked back into work at Belfast’s historic shipyard after a nine week occupation that saved the firm.
The workers, who garnered international attention for taking over the yard to prevent it being asset stripped after it went into administration, are now employed by energy firm InfraStrata.
InfraStrata, which is building a gas storage plant off the Irish coast, said it will retain all 79 staff still working at the yard and has plans to increase the workforce to 400.
Speaking at the reopening, Harland and Wolff Unite senior shop steward Joe Passmore said, “This is a historic day for us and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved. We’re determined that this company is going to be great again.
“This workforce has worked incredibly hard to get this and we’ll not let this opportunity go. This is a new future for us and we know our new owners have the same vision that we have. I can’t wait to get back to work now.”
A few days after Harland and Wolff’s workers returned to work in October, there were more jubilant scenes in the town of Ballymena after an 11th hour deal was reached to save hundreds of Wrightbus jobs. One Wrightbus worker, who was getting married on the day the deal was struck, turned up at the factory gates before his wedding to stand in solidarity with his colleagues, who had been holding daily protests outside the site.
After news of the deal broke, the bride and groom came past the factory “in the fancy wedding car roaring out the window,” said Unite regional coordinating officer Susan Fitzgerald.
The deal with Jo Bamford, part of the industrial family which owns JCB, only came about after the workforce mobilised to save Wrightbus – now called Bamford Bus – by pressuring former owner Jeff Wright to hand the land the factory is situated on back to the community.
Wrightbus went into administration in late September due to cash flow problems and a prospective buyer pulling out, putting 1,300 jobs at risk.
Although there were a number of potential bidders for the bus manufacturing business, negotiations stalled because of Wright’s demands over the land, which has now been handed to the local council following intensive campaigning from Unite.
Unite regional officer for Wrightbus George Brash welcomed the news saying it was “greeted with a wave of celebration and relief by the workers who had, once again, gathered at the factory gates”.
“This result means everything to the workforce, their families, and the wider Ballymena community,” Brash added.
UK manufacturing – particularly in the shipbuilding and automotive sectors – has been neglected under the government’s lack of industrial strategy, refusal to implement a positive procurement policy and encouragement of business decisions based solely on short term profits.
A Labour government would have helped to prevent the difficulties experienced at Harland and Wolff and Wrightbus by reforming corporate governance and helping to improve the challenging economic environment they were operating in. Labour’s policies would have directly benefited Harland and Wolff
17 uniteWORKS Winter 2019
because they would direct Royal Naval shipbuilding work – such as the new Fleet Solid Support ships and Type 31e Frigates – towards UK shipyards.
Similarly, Wrightbus, which builds eco- friendly buses would benefit from Labour’s policy of public procurement that supports UK-based manufacturing as well as its revolutionary programme to deliver a green economy and transport network.
Both Harland and Wolff and the newly formed Bamford Bus, and many other manufacturing firms vital to the future of the country and the communities they support, will be given the help they need to flourish in the years ahead if Labour comes to power in December.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said, “The Labour Party is committed to an economic alternative that will bring security and equality to our communities,in stark contrast to the tax cuts for the wealthy promised by Johnson.”
Time for
manufacturing
• An industrial strategy to make UK more sector and regionally balanced
• Good jobs, based on sustainable economy
• Public procurement policy supporting UK-based manufacturing
• Support for FSS Ships for Royal Fleet Auxiliary to be UK-built
• Public stake in British Steel
• Support development and innovation in UK defence industry
• Publish a defence industrial strategy white paper
Find out more VOTE 2019
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