Portadown rally hears Unite demands political action to save manufacturing jobs and skills

Unite will ballot its members at Glen Dimplex in Portadown for strike action. The ballot follows a threat by the company to shutdown its sites in Portadown offshoring the production of storage heaters to Lithuania.

The threat to jobs is the latest in a series of blows to the local industrial base. More than 500 jobs have been lost at Thompsons Aero seating, more than 100 at BT and Sonoco has also recently confirmed its intention to seek redundancies.

Hundreds of workers and the wider local community gathered this afternoon (Friday 28 June) in the town for a Unite rally in defence of manufacturing jobs and skills in the Upper Bann area. The rally was called to demand action from politicians ahead of next week’s general election.

Solidarity greetings were read out at the rally from Unite general secretary Sharon Graham who said: “The workforce at Glen Dimplex is being balloted for strike action to save their jobs.

“The closure threat at Glen Dimplex is only the latest in a series of job loss blows to the local economy – a key industrial hub. The workers demand an end to offshoring and the race-to-the-bottom on workers’ pay, terms and conditions. 

“Unite will fully support these workers in their fight to save their livelihoods and the future of this profitable site.”

The ballot will open on July 15 closing on August 8. Industrial action could take place before the end of the summer.

Susan Fitzgerald, regional secretary of Unite, addressed the workforce, she said. “The Glen Dimplex workforce is highly experienced with the skills needed for a just transition to a greener future where homes and workplaces are heated renewably.

“It is disgraceful that workers who have shown such dedication and loyalty and built the fortunes of the owner Martin Naughton, the second richest man in Northern Ireland, face being cast aside so that he can offshore jobs and make even more profits.

“We are balloting our members on strike action to defend jobs and skills for the future. But we also demand action from the politicians. Continued inaction is just not acceptable – Glen Dimplex is seeking grant aid for their proposed restructuring – grant aid to offshore production. How is that possible? We need to see politicians get behind the workers’ plan to safeguard these jobs.”

ENDS…

For further information or to arrange an interview contact Donal O’Cofaigh, Unite Campaigns, Comms & Press (NI), tel. 07810 157926.