Open letter warns of ‘grave concerns’ over Scottish jobs under the
Tories
19th April 2010
In an open letter to the UK media, Unite workplace activists in
the Scottish defence sector, representing over 8,000 working people
and their families, have expressed ‘grave concerns’ about the
future of jobs and investment under a Conservative
government.
Signatories from major defence employers such as BAE, Thales,
Selex and Babcock have warned about the threat facing thousands of
skilled workers across Scotland who currently maintain, manufacture
and deliver the equipment, aircraft and marine vessels vital to the
UK’s security in the global age.
Scotland has been a major beneficiary of defence contracts worth
tens of billions of pounds in recent years, with shipyards on the
Clyde and Rosyth being awarded contracts to manufacture the Royal
Navy aircraft carrier project, creating high skilled jobs in
addition to a providing a major multiplier effect on the local and
national supply chains.
Unite national secretary for aerospace and shipbuilding, Bernie
Hamilton, said: “Our members in areas like the Clyde and Rosyth
have not forgotten the social and economic vandalism unleashed by
the Tories during the 1980s and 1990s.
“Tories such as George Osborne and Liam Fox have all previously
stated that the defence sector is ripe for cuts with a preference
to ditch high quality defence manufacturing in Scotland and the
rest of the UK for cheaper offshore alternatives.
“The Lib Dems and SNP are not exempt either - Vince Cable has
clearly outlined his intentions to cut and gut the defence sector
and our members know the SNP’s policy of separation would end
defence manufacturing in Scotland as we know it.
“Thousands of workers, their families and their communities as
well as the wider Scottish economy are heavily reliant on these
skilled defence jobs. The people know their history and they
know what devastation a Tory government would wreak on the defence
sector and that’s why our activists will be campaigning across
defence workplaces in Scotland to ensure that does not happen.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Bernie Hamilton on 07958
624664 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 7420
8914 or 07980 224761.
Notes to Editors:
Text from the letter below.
Dear Editors
As workers in the defence industry were are extremely proud of
the role that Scotland plays in the security of the United
Kingdom.
Thousands of skilled workers across Scotland maintain,
manufacture and build the equipment, aircraft and vessels vital to
defence in a global age. In recent years, parts of defence
contracts worth tens of billions of pounds have been placed in
Scotland which have secured not only employment in the sector but
ensured that our capacity to support the UK’s armed forces is
maintained for the sovereignty of the nation.
Job loses on the Clyde, Rosyth and at countless other defence
companies during the Tory years of the 1980’s and 1990’s have not
been forgotten by Scottish trade union members. The Tories
inability to guarantee the future construction of the aircraft
carriers being built on the Clyde and Forth for example, says as
much about their lack of understanding of Scotland as it does about
their reluctance to support industry through direct
intervention.
Elections are about choice and we intend to – over the remaining
weeks of the general election campaign – highlight to workers in
Scotland’s defence workplaces our grave concerns about the future
of the industry under a Tory government.
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