Rolls-Royce Barnoldswick: Fresh strike action amid job cut fears - BBC News

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Work being carried out on a Rolls-Royce engine

A group of specialist engineers at a Rolls-Royce factory are going on strike after fears for the long-term future of the site resurfaced.

Members of the Unite union in previously took action before Christmas over plans to scale back production at the factory in Barnoldswick.

Unite said a deal was agreed guaranteeing the future of the factory, but fresh fears have emerged.

Rolls-Royce said it was "extremely disappointed".

Unite said as part of the deal it was agreed that Barnoldswick would continue with a minimum headcount of 350 workers and a centre of excellence would be built to train workers.

But following a meeting in May Unite said that figure would not be reached and had been left with no option but to take strike action.

Seventeen engineers will strike from Monday until Friday with further action scheduled for 9 August.

Unite regional officer Ross Quinn said: "Our members have been forced to take strike action as the long-term viability of Barnoldswick is once again under threat.

"Our members at Barnoldswick are rightly concerned for their futures. They did not take part in nine weeks of strike action for the employer to go back to their original plan in two years' time.

"All Unite is seeking is strict guarantees that the January agreement is fully honoured by Rolls-Royce."

A spokesman for Rolls-Royce said: "The action comes at a time when everyone at Barnoldswick needs to focus on supporting a plan - agreed between management and trade union representatives - to secure the site and attract new work to preserve jobs.

"We are already identifying new work for the facility and making no compulsory redundancies.

"We are continuing to make good progress, with around 270 roles and 80 training roles identified to date, which is why we are extremely disappointed that industrial action is taking place."