MP condemns Rolls-Royce jobs cuts at Washington factory

Rolls-Royce is looking for 50 voluntary job losses at its Washington plant

The company announced last month that it was to cut at least 9,000 jobs from its 52,000-strong global workforce as part of a drive to achieve £1.3billion in annual cost savings.

Now the firm has confirmed it it is in talks with staff about the loss of 50 jobs at the Washington plant, which manufactures aero engine parts.

MP Sharon Hodgson, whose Washington and Sunderland West constituency covers the plant, condemned the move.

A Rolls-Royce spokesman said the fiorm was not planing compulsory cuts: “Following constructive talks with trade union and employee representatives, we have opened Voluntary Severance to all Civil Aerospace employees in the UK.

“Offering Voluntary Severance is an important step as we resize our business to adapt to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry.

“At our Washington facility we have indicated that the likely number of impacted roles in 2020 will be around 50, based on our immediate load reduction requirements.

“Because of the unprecedented impact of the crisis on our Civil Aerospace business, we will unfortunately lose people who have worked hard to establish our world-leading position.”

Mrs Hodgson accused the firm of not doing enough to protect jobs: “I am very concerned by the proposed job cuts at the Rolls-Royce factory in my constituency. The scale of the cuts across the country will be extremely concerning for many families,” she said.

“I have been working closely with a cross-party group of MPs with Rolls-Royce plants in their constituencies and Union reps at the factory in Washington, and will be doing everything I can to support them.

“Companies such as Rolls-Royce should be using financial support schemes put in place by the Government and should not use this Coronavirus pandemic to cut highly-skilled jobs in the UK.

“As a company that has received significant taxpayer funding in recent years, they should be doing everything they can to protect UK jobs.

“With approximately two-thirds of total employees in the UK working in the civil aerospace business, this news highlights the urgent need for the Government to ensure a robust plan is in place to protect jobs in the aviation sector.”