The Rolls-Royce jet engine factory in Barnoldswick in the United Kingdom has been saved after a nine-week strike by members the organized labor Unite group. The future of the factory was closure when Rolls-Royce last summer announced that it was transferring the production of its Trent jet engine blade work to Singapore. The workforce voted for industrial action and began targeted strike action on 6 November last year which ran until Christmas Eve. Workers returned to the picket lines at the start of 2021.
The hamlet of Barnoldswick, home to 11,000 people, rallied in defense of their community. The Rolls-Royce factory, in operation since 1943, is the birthplace of the jet engine and the main employer there. The shuttering would have had devastating consequences for the prosperity of the local community.
Unite has long criticized the elitist UK government for its failure to develop an industrial strategy that invests in the development, growth and transition of manufacturing. Despite the lack of political support, the union negotiated a deal that saved jobs and manufacturing capacity while preparing for the future. The dispute was widely supported in the UK, and IndustriALL Global Union affiliates from around the globe stood with their colleagues, sending messages of solidarity.
The deal, supported overwhelmingly by the workforce, will give the historic site a new lease of life as a core manufacturing facility and host to a new center of excellence that will train engineers to meet the “challenges of the climate emergency.”
Barnoldswick Deal
- A ten-year manufacturing guarantee for the site.
- A guaranteed minimum headcount of 350 workers.
- Creation of a training school supporting the development and manufacture of zero carbon technologies.
- A guarantee of a two year no compulsory redundancy agreement to facilitate discussions on a plan for advanced manufacturing work, supporting carbon free energy generation, along with synthetic fuels and green technologies.
“This dispute has been especially important to the IndustriALL global aerospace steering committee because it sets such a precedent. This deal is testament to the tenacity and courage of the members, as well as the willingness of the company to negotiate in good faith and listen to the union’s alternative business case. We believe that this groundbreaking deal shows a way forward for the sector, preserving jobs and skills while preparing for the future,” said IndustriALL assistant general secretary Atle Høie.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Union Strike Saves Rolls-Royce Jobs in Barnoldswick
The hamlet of Barnoldswick, home to 11,000 people, rallied in defense of their community. The Rolls-Royce factory, in operation since 1943, is the birthplace of the jet engine and the main employer there. The shuttering would have had devastating consequences for the prosperity of the local community.
Unite has long criticized the elitist UK government for its failure to develop an industrial strategy that invests in the development, growth and transition of manufacturing. Despite the lack of political support, the union negotiated a deal that saved jobs and manufacturing capacity while preparing for the future. The dispute was widely supported in the UK, and IndustriALL Global Union affiliates from around the globe stood with their colleagues, sending messages of solidarity.
The deal, supported overwhelmingly by the workforce, will give the historic site a new lease of life as a core manufacturing facility and host to a new center of excellence that will train engineers to meet the “challenges of the climate emergency.”
Barnoldswick Deal
“This dispute has been especially important to the IndustriALL global aerospace steering committee because it sets such a precedent. This deal is testament to the tenacity and courage of the members, as well as the willingness of the company to negotiate in good faith and listen to the union’s alternative business case. We believe that this groundbreaking deal shows a way forward for the sector, preserving jobs and skills while preparing for the future,” said IndustriALL assistant general secretary Atle Høie.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.