BAE workers continue fight for jobs

Workers at a BAE Systems site have vowed to fight a decision to end manufacturing with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Members of Unite at the factory in Brough, Yorkshire, voted to continue campaigning, including a lobby of shareholders at the defence giant's annual meeting in the summer.

Several hundred jobs are set to go at the site, home of the Hawk jet, under cutbacks announced by the firm last year.

Unite official Ian Waddell said: "There is a real feeling that the workers have been treated badly by BAE Systems. They are determined to address this injustice.

"BAE Systems' reasons for closing Brough are deeply flawed. It will be far more expensive to move Hawk production elsewhere than they have estimated. Our members at Brough, who have years of experience working in the defence industry, deserve the right to have their case properly heard.

"BAE have made it clear they expect Brough workers to simply accept their fate and meekly hand over the tools to enable Hawk to be built elsewhere. There is no way we are going to allow that happen while the company refuses to talk to us meaningfully.

"We will now take this fight to the company's AGM and demonstrate to the board and the shareholders that the decision to end manufacturing at Brough is wrong. We have already stated our determination to pursue legal action over the ending of consultation. Coupled with escalating costs of moving Hawk, surely the company should hit the pause button and reassess their decision."

A BAE spokesman said: ""BAE Systems has concluded consultation on the business proposal to potentially end manufacturing at Brough. This is due to no viable and practical alternative being found, despite the extensive and meaningful consultation that has taken place with the trade unions and executive representatives.

"The company, during the next stage of consultation, will continue to focus on reducing the number of redundancies and, as far as possible, explore all opportunities to mitigate the potential job losses."

PA