Unite leader pledges support for Bombardier as the union announces major rally in Derby. Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, is in Derby today (11 July) to give his full support to the battle to save Bombardier, Britain’s last train maker and will tell workers Unite will back them all the way.

Len McCluskey will meet with union representatives and with Bombardier management this morning. Unite is campaigning to save the UK’s last train maker and is determined to try to find ways to protect the skilled workers who face redundancy as a result of the government’s short-sighted decision  to exclude the company from a crucial train-making contract. Unite, is organising a major rally in Derby city centre in support of Bombardier workers on 23 July and to call on the government to rethink its decision .  The event will involve high profile speakers and is expected to attract thousands of supporters who will express their anger at the Tory-led government’s decision. Bombardier is the UK’s last train manufacturer but the government awarded  a contract to build train carriages for UK tracks to a consortium which will carry out the vast majority of the manufacturing overseas.

Last week Bombardier was forced to announce 1400 job cuts as a result of losing the Thameslink contract.  Although Bombardier has enough work to sustain their manufacturing base until late this year, its order books will be empty from then on. This, therefore, puts all 3,000 jobs at significant risk, plus those in the supply chain. 

Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said: “The workers at Bombardier face a very uncertain future but they have Unite’s full support .We are going to fight for them and back them all the way . The Government’s excuses just do not stand up to scrutiny and we believe the coalition should re-think its disastrous decision. “We want to work with the company to find ways to protect jobs. The weight of public opinion is on the side of Bombardier and we expect thousands of people to attend Unite’s rally later this month in support of the UK’s last train manufacturer. “Unite’s campaign is supported by politicians, the public and the media who are equally shocked by the Tory-led government’s short sighted decision not to award Bombardier the Thameslink contract.”