Unite demands government action over BAE workers
Unite, Britain's largest union, has called on the government to save thousands of BAE workers from losing their jobs.
In a statement released today, Unite's national officer, Ian Waddell said: "Britain cannot afford to risk the future of this highly skilled industry. The government's defence review has led to deep cuts in defence spending and significant job losses, meaning it will be difficult to redeploy the jobs now at risk.
"Unite is meeting with BAE Systems today and we will be doing everything we can to mitigate the impact of these cuts. The government cannot sit on its hands and allow these highly skilled jobs to disappear.
"We expect the MoD to intervene urgently to protect these jobs, otherwise the UK's defence industry risks losing the critical mass it needs to maintain its reputation as a world leader in defence manufacturing."
Waddell went on to accuse ministers of shirking on promises to grow UK manufacturing. He commented: "Once again George Osborne's proclamation that he would create the right conditions to drive the economy forward through British manufacturing is ringing hollow."
