Union Disappointed Over Ruling Against Bombardier

Unite the union is disappointed with the preliminary ruling by the United States' Department of Commerce that recommended additional tariffs of 80% be imposed on Bombardier's C-Series over allegations of price-dumping.

The union have launched a campaign to demand pressure put on Boeing to step up a gear with cross-party Westminster engagement on Wednesday, 11 October.

This is the second preliminary ruling against Bombardier by the Department and follows an earlier ruling which resulted in countervailing tariffs of 219% imposed over charges of inappropriate state-subsidies to Bombardier’s C-Series.

Davy Thompson, Unite Regional Coordinating Officer, said: "While we remain confident that this ruling will be overturned, if not in February when this preliminary ruling is reviewed, then by the World Trade Organisation in coming years, tariffs on this scale are designed to maximise the financial pressure on Bombardier in the meantime by effectively closing the US market to its flagship C-Series programme.

"Boeing recognises that Bombardier's multi-billion pound investment in a blank-page redesign of commercial aircraft has resulted in a line that is superior in terms of space, quality, reliability and fuel economy to Boeing’s decades-old designs. Institutions such as the International Trade Commission and Department of Commerce which project themselves as guardians of the free market are now proactively closing the US markets by raising protectionist barriers to new and superior market entrants.

"Unite the union's focus remains with safeguarding the jobs and skills base in Belfast. This ruling places a serious threat to four thousand workers at the five Bombardier sites in Northern Ireland as well as the approximately 20,000 whose jobs are sustained by the stimulus provided by the workers' wages and the wider procurement associated with the company."

Alliance East Belfast MLA Chris Lyttle said: "Bombardier is the cornerstone of the manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland, both as the largest employer and enabler of a wider engineering supply chain. Any permanent negative ruling against it would have a massive impact on many livelihoods and the wider economy.

"Alliance has already been in contact with the highest reaches of the UK, US and Canadian Governments, and these letters reiterate the need for the Governments to facilitate and broker an outcome to this dispute.

"There remains a short time in which this matter can still fairly resolved and I hope the Governments take the opportunity to ensure an outcome which supports free and open competition, and protects Bombardier's critical presence in Northern Ireland."

(CD)