After Scottish government announce they will nationalise Ferguson Marine shipyard, unions call on UK government to safeguard jobs and skills in Belfast

Susan Fitzgerald, Unite Regional Coordinating Officer demanded the UK government move quickly to renationalise Belfast shipyard:

“The historic stand at Harland & Wolff shipyard has kept the door open for the business to be transferred as a going-concern safeguarding the jobs and skills of this workforce. Unfortunately the failure to date of the UK government to intervene and take the facility into public ownership has left the workforce are reliant on bids coming in from the private sector.

“We understand that prospective buyers have been asked to provide indicative bids by midday tomorrow. Serious bidders will base their offers on a genuine interest in taking the shipyard forward as a going concern with all the workers’ jobs and skills intact but they need to be aware that if the bids do not reflect a genuine interest, this workforce is going nowhere.

“While the workers have been buoyed by the growing interest in the shipyard, renationalisation remains the best outcome for Harland & Wolff. The skills of this workforce could be directed at a wide-range of productive sectors, including shipbuilding, renewables infrastructure and civil infrastructure. Investment in such opportunities offers the potential for thousands of highly-skilled jobs to be created here in Belfast in the just transition to a more sustainable economy”, Ms Fitzgerald said.

Denise Walker, Senior Organiser for the GMB union called on the British government to follow the example of the Scottish Executive and commit to nationalisation:

“In recent days and under pressure from the workforce there, the Scottish government has committed itself to nationalise Ferguson Marine shipyard. There can be no excuses for protracted failure to act similarly in Belfast. The workforce expects all local political representatives to use any influence they have to compel the UK government to act”, Ms Walker concluded.