CELTIC nation governments have joined forces to demand "urgent intervention" to rescue the aerospace engineering and civil aviation sector following fears of 2,500 job losses in Scotland alone.
Unite Scotland and the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, are signatories to a letter sent to Boris Johnson appealing for action to preserve the sector which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Here is the letter in full
Dear Prime Minister, The global pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the aerospace sector across the whole of the UK and urgent intervention is now required to preserve capability and avert further damaging losses.
The collapse in demand for global air travel has had a significant impact upon the aerospace sector, through reductions for new aircraft and for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) activities due to grounded fleets. Whilst the general consensus is that it will take 3 – 5 years for the sector to return to pre-crisis levels there is further uncertainty given the resurgence of COVID-19 being witnessed across Europe and the possibility of further outbreaks in the future.
Whilst our respective governments are doing our part to protect our sectors we recognise that the severity of the immediate crisis goes beyond the tools available to us and requires urgent intervention from your Government. To that end, and further to the letter from the economy secretaries on 9th July, we collectively seek the UK Government’s agreement to urgently establish and convene an Aerospace Taskforce. This must include active participation from the Devolved Administrations and the appropriate level of representation from all key stakeholders including trade unions and aerospace businesses in order to identify the industry specific challenges and develop appropriate responses to support the businesses, workers and communities at risk.
The scale of this challenge cannot be underestimated and each government is absolutely determined and committed to its role in retaining the capability and expertise that enables the UK to retain its position in the global aerospace sector. We must do all we can to save jobs and mitigate the devastating impact on the sector and its workforce.
The establishment of an Aerospace Taskforce would be a positive signal to the sector highlighting that all our governments remain committed to working together in order to preserve this sector that is hugely important to the whole of the UK but we must act now.
Signatories
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales
Arlene Foster, First Minister of Northern Ireland
Michelle O’Neill, deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
Pat Rafferty, Regional Secretary, Unite the Union, Scotland
Peter Hughes, Regional Secretary, Unite the Union, Wales
Jackie Pollock, Regional Secretary, Unite the Union, Ireland
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