Economy minister must support aerospace workers says Ennis.
Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel is to shed 62 jobs following a global downturn in the aerospace industry.
Collins Aerospace based in Kilkeel which employs around 1000 people across Northern Ireland has announced that it is to pay off 62 of its staff after a month’s consultation involving voluntary and involuntary redundancies.
The dire news will affect the whole Kilkeel community. In the past year with a downturn in the global aviation industry by over 60%, Collins Aerospace was impacted seriously as a deep recession hit the aviation sector. Uncertainty across the world by governments in Covid-19 containment and unlocking strategies has compounded the difficulties for the aeroplane seat manufacturer in Kileel as demand for new planes plummets.
The aviation industry by January 2021 had lost $370 billion due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sinn Féin MLA Sinéad Ennis said the Economy Minister must work with the aerospace industry to ensure workers are supported.
The South Down MLA said: “Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel have announced 62 additional redundancies by the end of June this year.
“It’s welcome that from today there will be a 30-day consultation period with Management and Trade Union reps to discuss the proposals and how they will affect the Kilkeel staff.
“There will also be health and wellbeing support services available for workers on site.
“The wider aerospace industry continues to suffer badly from Covid with work orders being drastically reduced.
“It’s vital that Economy Minister Diane Dodds works with the Aerospace industry to support and re-skill workers and ensure that the appropriate training is in place going forward.”
Rockwell Collins, part of the Raytheon Technologies Corporation, is a leader in technical and intelligence solutions for the global aerospace industry.
