Speaking after the announcement of 600 job losses at Bombardier, ICTU Assistant General Secretary Owen Reidy said: "The entire trade union movement supports those highly skilled and productive workers at Bombardier as they face, yet again, the threat of redundancy. We will fully support the decisions reached by those workers representatives in their trade unions, Unite and GMB.
"In the past month, the trade unions across Northern Ireland and Ireland have adapted a radical new strategy for protecting and developing our economies. Part of our call is for the government to use the crisis as an opportunity rather than a threat for our manufacturing sector. The UK as a sovereign state, like all states is in a position to borrow and take advantage of historically low interest rates.
"The fact is that Bombardier is of strategic importance to our economy and therefore our society. GMB and Unite deserve to be supported with their call for long-term strategic approach to deal with this crisis now, and to start the journey to create and sustain skilled jobs in a Green New Deal."
