Turning point

Workers gathered for mass union meetings at the gates of all five Bombardier sites in Northern Ireland today (January 18), on the eve of a critical US International Trade Commission (USITC) decision that may well decide their future.

Within two weeks, the USITC is expected to decide whether to approve massive 292 per cent tariffs on imports of Bombardier’s C-Series jet, whose wings are produced in Northern Ireland.

The decision follows a contentious trade dispute with US-based aerospace rival Boeing, which last year put in an official complaint to US authorities that Bombardier had benefited from unfair state subsidies.

This so-called aid, Boeing argued, enabled the company to sell its C-Series to Delta airlines at knockdown prices.

But Unite has said that Boeing’s claim is without merit and has only sought to crush perfectly legitimate competition. After all, Boeing was not materially harmed by the Delta order – it did not even put in a bid for the contract. Its claims are also hypocritical – Boeing itself has received billions in subsidies from the US government.

But now, if the tariffs are approved, about 4,000 jobs in Northern Ireland could be at risk, Unite regional secretary Jackie Pollock explained.

Jobs risk

“These tariffs effectively quadruple the price of the C-Series in the US, shutting Bombardier out of the largest market globally for the aircraft,” he said. “That poses an immediate and serious threat to every single job at Bombardier in Northern Ireland and by extension to those tens of thousands of workers in their supply chain and those who benefit from the boost wages provide our economy.”

Speaking to UNITElive after the meetings today, Unite shop steward Gaye Partridge said that there was an “excellent turnout” at today’s events.

“Even though the meetings were organised by trade unions, we invited all employees and the vast majority turned out,” she said. “Even management came along as well.”

Gaye added that the workforce waits in anxious anticipation for the final USITC ruling expected in a fortnight.

“There’s a lot of anxiety because we know just how serious this will be for our local communities – a 300 per cent tariff will definitely have an impact on the company which could mean major job losses, both direct and in the wider supply chain. We just don’t know whether in near future we’ll have a job,” she noted.

Gaye highlighted the impact the job losses would have across the board.

“With so many jobs gone, this would hit spending in shops locally – the impact will be massive. We worry too that the loss of so many jobs would have a knock-on effect on the peace process.

“We don’t want to go back to where we were,” she added. “We believe the DUP especially must use its influence to call on the UK government to act. We’ve got plenty of leverage to persuade Boeing to drop its claim.”

Gov’t action call

Since the trade dispute began, Unite has unrelentingly lobbied the UK and US governments to take action to resolve the dispute.

Last month, a delegation of Unite representatives travelled to Capitol Hill to take their fight for Northern Ireland jobs straight to US representatives.

Unite last week slammed the UK government for effectively raising the white flag after it said it expected the tariff rulings to be approved.

Richard Harrington, a UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy minister, claimed the UK government was doing all it could to support Bombardier workers and pointed to two phone calls prime minister Theresa May had made to US president Donald Trump.

But he also admitted that May had not been in contact with Trump since the initial US Department of Commerce rulings.

“A phone call to Donald Trump is all well and good, but where is the follow through on Theresa May’s tough words about Boeing and the tough action needed to secure Northern Ireland jobs?” said Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner.

The UK government has said it will pursue the option of appeal through the World Trade Organisation but Pollock said this plan would be too little, too late.

“That process is likely to take years – during which time the damage to jobs here in Northern Ireland will have been done,” he said.

Pollock highlighted in his speech today what Unite has been doing to fight for Bombardier jobs.

“We have taken our message to the corridors of power — in London; in Dublin; in Brussels; in Montreal; even in Washington DC itself,” he said.

“We have organised to get our councils in Northern Ireland back our campaign. So far eight of the eleven local authorities have unanimously backed the demand for action by the government.”

He said today’s meetings must be a “turning point” as he called on the UK government to defend jobs and vowed that Unite would continue demanding action “today and tomorrow” whatever the USITC result.

Unite shop steward Kieran Ellison, who also attended today’s events, said that the massive turnout today showed the strength of feeling among the workforce.

“We are determined to take our fight to Boeing to defend jobs,” he said.

He explained that he and his fellow colleagues were extremely anxious now as they await the final ruling.

“We’re worried about our jobs – will we be able to support our families? There are just so many unanswered questions.”

‘Angry’

Kieran added that he was angry at the way the UK government has handled the trade dispute compared to the Canadian government, which took decisive action – it has scrapped plans to order 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighter jets and has launched a search for new aircraft using criteria that will impede future military bids from Boeing.

“[Canadian prime minister] Justin Trudeau has come out fighting for jobs – he’s stood up to Boeing and stood up to Trump,” he said. “The way that Theresa May has reacted in comparison is nothing short of shameful. If the Canadian government can take action, so can we.

“We have to hold politicians’ feet to the fire.”

Given that the UK government continues to hand £5bn in defence contracts to Boeing, Unite believes the government can easily follow in the footsteps of Canada – it has the financial clout to convince Boeing to drop its complaint. All that’s needed is the political will.

You can help by contacting your MP or Stormont representative and by signing our petition here – as of writing it has nearly garnered the 10,000 signatures required to force the government to respond.