Open letter warns of grave concern over Tory and Lib Dem’s defence
plans
26 April 2010
An open letter, signed by 173 senior union activists,
representing 30,000 workers in defence and manufacturing, expresses
'grave concern' that Tories and Liberal Democrats would slash
thousands of jobs in a high skilled and strategically important
sector (see notes to editors).
Bernie Hamilton, Unite national officer for aerospace &
shipbuilding, said: “The inexperience and cavalier attitude of Tory
and Liberal democrat MPs towards the defence industry threatens
thousands of directly and indirectly employed workers across
England and Wales.
“Their fundamental misunderstanding of defence could permanently
damage the UK's sovereignty to manufacture defence equipment in
this strategically vital and highly skilled industry. Their plans
would also have a knock on effect on non-defence manufacturing as
the knowledge and skills built up in defence is transferred to
other strategically important sectors like aerospace and
energy.
“George Osborne and Liam Fox have both said on the record that
on day one of a Conservative government they would exercise the
break clauses in major defence contracts. Liam Fox has also said
that the UK should buy off-the-shelf equipment from the USA. Vince
Cable has said he would cancel a number of major defence contracts.
These MPs' amateurish approach will fundamentally damage the
defence industry and Britain's manufacturing base.”
The signatories to the open letter work at the major defence and
manufacturing companies including Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Airbus,
GE, Babock and Augusta Westland Bristol.
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, we are extremely proud of
the role that England and Wales plays in the security of the United
Kingdom.
Thousands of skilled workers across England and Wales design,
manufacture and maintain the equipment, aircraft and vessels vital
to defence in a global age. In recent years, contracts worth £10s
of billions have been placed in England and Wales, 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 losses in places like Preston, Portsmouth and at countless
other defence companies during the Tory years of the 1980s and
1990s have not been forgotten by trade union members. The Lib Dems
are not exempt either – Vince Cable has clearly outlined his
intentions to cut and gut the Defence sector and his laissez-fair
announcements of the cancellation of contracts would end Defence
manufacturing as we know it. The Tories and Lib Dems inability to
guarantee the continuation of contracts, for example Typhoon
Tranche 3 and A400M being built across the UK, principally at BAE
Systems – Warton, Rolls Royce – Bristol and Airbus – Filton, as
well as other sites including supply chain companies across the
whole of the country, says as much about their lack of
understanding of the importance to this nation’s security of the UK
Defence manufacturing sector as it does about their reluctance to
support industry through direct intervention.
Elections are about choice and we intend over the remaining
weeks of the General Election campaign to highlight to workers in
England and Wales defence workplaces our grave concerns about the
future of the industry under a Tory Government and any involvement
of Liberal Democrats in Defence manufacturing of this nation.
Yours
Email to a friend
Want to share this story? These sites allow you to tag and share links across the internet enabling you to share these links with friends and people with similar interests. You can also access your links from any computer you happen to be using.
