Government has a vital role to play to secure transfer of all Spirit Aerosystems sites together and sustaining Northern Ireland aerospace

Unite the union which represents the majority of the 3,600 Spirit Aerospace workers has called on prime minister Keir Starmer and ensure the retention of the company’s skilled workforce.

Last week, the Prime Minister visited the Airbus factory in Broughton, Wales where he announced a £49 million investment. At the event, he hailed the UK aerospace industry as ‘world-class’ and committed his government to accelerate our investment to “unlock the tech of the future and make a crucial step forward… to deliver growth and opportunity across our country”.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Unite welcomes the government’s ambition for aerospace but this must translate into practical action such as safeguarding jobs at Spirit in Northern Ireland.

“It is unacceptable that this uncertainty is still hanging over one of Northern Ireland’s most vital industries. The government must intervene now to secure a transfer of all sites and all jobs to a single entity – this is by far the best way to safeguard jobs and skills.”

As part of the Boeing takeover of Spirit Aerosystems, Airbus has expressed an interest in buying its own wing production lines in Northern Ireland which currently employ approximately 1,100. There remains uncertainty over the future of the remaining production lines and questions for the future of manufacturing at the Spirit sites.

Unite regional officer George Brash said: “For more than 100 years aircraft have been built in Northern Ireland. This is one of our most economically vital sectors and sustains a huge chunk of our economy. The continued uncertainty is totally unacceptable.

“The government must intervene to ensure that all sites and production transfer together. If the government’s words about ‘growth and opportunity is to have meaning it must use those powers to secure jobs and capacity at Spirit.”