Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt has backed the decision of one of Northern Ireland's major employers to urge its workers to vote in stay in the European Union in June's referendum in the UK.
The only unionist leader in Northern Ireland who is campaigning for the UK to remain inside the UK, Mr Nesbitt welcomed intervention by Bombardier' general manager, Michael Ryan, who leads 5,500 workers in Belfast: "[He] was quite right to give his assessment of the implications of Brexit for our biggest manufacturing employer. People are crying are out for information on the impact of Brexit or remaining in the EU.
“I would encourage other business leaders, those in our voluntary and community sector and our universities to help the public to make an informed decision by giving their open and honest opinions of the implications of Brexit or remaining in the EU.”
But NI Business for Britain spokesman Jeff Peel claimed Mr Ryan's intervention was "wholly inappropriate".
"Bombardier workers have the right to exercise their vote without undue pressure," Mr Peel said. "It would be considered unacceptable for Bombardier to offer 'advice' to their workers about which party to vote for in the Assembly election and it is equally unacceptable to offer comparable 'advice' on the EU referendum."
He added: “The future of Bombardier will be secured through the success of the C-Series [aircraft], not through the European Union referendum.”
The Irish Times spoke to Bombardier staff as they left work at the plant on the Airport Road in Belfast yesterday morning to find out their thoughts.
Uncertain future
Bombardier worker of 11 years
Mark Dunn
said the general chat among colleagues he spoke to was a vote to Remain would be preferable. “That seems to be the general gist of things inside,” he said. “The future of Bombardier is uncertain enough without adding to it.”
Bombardier will be cutting 1,080 jobs over the next two years. Mr Dunn says while he will likely vote Remain on June 23rd he is sceptical when management tell workers what to do.
“Why are they wanting us to do it?” he asked. “The greater good for the company isn’t always what’s best for the worker.”
One employee of 15 years, who did not want to be identified, said he would "make my mind up on the day" but that intervention by business leaders can be confusing. "Wrightbus says Leave and Bombardier says Remain so who do you go with?" he pondered. "It is up to the individual."
Bombardier says it set out its position on the EU debate as a number of employees had asked it to do so. But two employees explained they had not received any correspondence from Mr Ryan yet.
One said: “It came out in the news that Michael Ryan had said stuff but they never told the shop-floor workers. We asked about it today and there was nothing said. I will probably not vote. I will still get paid at the end of the month.”
The other added: “No matter what we do we are wrong.”
An agency worker said he would be voting to Leave.
Scare tactics
“I think we are getting scaremongered into it,” he said. “
Airbus
did the exact same with their employees. They told 15,000 of their employees it would be better to Remain but I think they have sold planes before they were in it and there won’t be any problem after it.
“The government doesn’t want us to leave but they are giving away billions in aid and we could do with it for people using foodbanks. I personally think we should stay out.”
In 2015, Bombardier awarded business of about £240 million [€302 million] to suppliers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Of that, £13 million was to suppliers in the Republic, of which there is 40.