Result was only achieved through mobilisation of workforce who never let up in their efforts
Unite to continue campaigning to maximise jobs safeguarded, pay and terms and conditions
October 11th: Unite regional officer for Wrightbus George Brash welcomed news that Banford (Ryse) had agreed in principal to buy the company potentially safeguarding hundreds of jobs. Continue reading
Likelihood is that if jobs go, Wright name will become synonymous with collapse of manufacturing in Ballymena
Unite the union has received no response to request to meet with former Wrightbus owner Jeff Wright
Conflicting reports leave workers standing at factory gates bewildered about their future
October 10th: Unite Regional Officer for Wrightbus, George Brash, challenged both sides in the ongoing negotiations surrounding the sale of the stricken bus builder to move quickly to reach an agreement that would safeguard the livelihoods of the workers.
“This morning hundreds of Wrightbus workers and their families are standing in the rain outside the factory gates. They are standing in the hope they will hear that a deal has been done that will guarantee their jobs.
“These are workers who are already having difficult conversations with their children about what Christmas will bring.
“As these negotiations are being dragged out by horse-trading, the feeling of indignation among these workers, whose sole objective is to get back to work, is rising.
Worker delegations to visit local offices of political representatives and demand they publicly back call for hand over of land
Unite Regional Officer for Wrightbus, George Brash, warned that there was now a real urgency in regards to resolving the land issue, which is now the only barrier to the factory gates reopening.
“Unite understand that negotiations for sale of the company has moved to a point of exclusivity with a single, prospective buyer. The only issue outstanding now is that of the land ownership associated with the factory site.
“Twelve hundred workers’ livelihoods, the living conditions of their families and the entire local economy now hang in the balance. We are in a situation where if the issue of the land is not resolved in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours then the prospect of safeguarding their future will disappear.
“Unite will be seeking a direct meeting with Jeff Wright to demand he does the right thing and hand over the land so as to remove this final obstacle to a sale and the gates reopening.
“Today a delegation of workers will tour the offices of local political parties. We need more than warm words from our local political representatives – we need deeds. The workers will be demanding that all local political representatives come out publicly today and demand that Jeff Wright hand over the land.
“This is a fight for the future of the Ballymena economy – it is a fight we can win. Politicians now need to come off the sidelines and get behind this workforce to secure that future”, Mr Brash concluded.
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