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.

“The news of this sale 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.

“While it is right to celebrate this huge result and the fact that Jeff Wright has acceded to the union’s demands and handed the land back to the council, much remains to be resolved and the hard work will continue. We need to maximise the number of jobs safeguarded as well as seek guarantees in regard to pay and workplace terms & conditions.

“This is a tremendous outcome for Ballymena – saving Wrightbus means saving the remaining manufacturing base of the local economy – but this result would never have been achieved without the mobilisation of this workforce. When others had vacated the field they rallied for their jobs, keeping the pressure on that was necessary to achieving this outcome.

“The skills and know-how this workforce possesses will be critical for the production of the public transport needed for the coming century. Unite is committed to using the opportunity offered by this result to ramp up production and create many more high-value manufacturing jobs in Ballymena for the future”, Mr Brash said.