Unite calls on businesses to 'hold firm' during coronavirus crisis
Firms are being urged to "hold firm" and avoid short-term action which unions warn could hamper the country's emergence from the Covid-19 crisis. Amid a flurry of job losses in recent weeks, Unite said companies should avoid a "knee-jerk " reaction.
Unite called on companies such as Rolls-Royce to work with unions and the Government to come up with an industrial strategy to develop the jobs of tomorrow.
Thousands of jobs are under threat at the engineering giant as manufacturers continue to suffer from the economic lockdown.
Steve Turner, Unite assistant general secretary, said: "We say to Rolls-Royce, step back from drastic, short-term responses and work with us to shape a positive future for a world-class business, our highly-skilled workforce and our communities.
"Help us to deliver a Government-led industrial strategy to build our way out of this crisis and meet the challenges of the future.
"These are unprecedented times. We understand the challenges to our industries from Covid-19 and the impact of Government measures to protect public health on both the immediate and longer-term outlook for manufacturing as well as the wider economy.
"However, at a time when we are working hard to protect jobs and businesses through this pandemic with pay protection, government loans and other industry-specific packages backed by the Bank of England, right now we are asking Rolls-Royce, along with others across manufacturing, to hold firm and defer from short-term reactions that will both damage the economy and undermine our ability to emerge from this with job security and consumer confidence intact."
Published: by Radio NewsHub