Unite, the UK’s largest union, has demanded that Boeing ‘ends its corporate bullying’ and the UK government stands up for manufacturing jobs after the company lodged claims of ‘price dumping’ with the US Department of Commerce, in a case concerning Bombardier’s Cseries airliners.
If Boeing claims are upheld Bombardier could face punitive fines and this would place at risk thousands of jobs at the company’s Belfast factory and could threaten the sites very existence.
Boeing’s claims are a result of Bombardier having benefited from state investment from Canada and from Invest NI, Northern Ireland’s economic development agency, all of which was lawful and legitimate. Unite is demanding that the UK government urgently clarifies the legality of the state funding that Bombardier raised.
Bombardier is the largest private sector employer in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at TUC Congress in Brighton, Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke said:
“What is needed is to end this corporate bullying by Boeing that is putting thousands of good jobs at risk.
“Boeing’s attempts to link this public investment to the allegation of unfair competition are unsustainable; indeed, in the case of the sale of planes to Delta airlines which has been raised, Boeing did not even make a bid.
“Unite is demanding the prime minister and the government stand up for the workforce in Northern Ireland and our aerospace industry and to stand up for decent jobs. She needs to tell president Trump, she will not stand by and watch Boeing threaten thousands of jobs.”