WORKERS have voted overwhelmingly for a shorter working week in a bid to save jobs at the Airbus plant in Broughton.

Last month, Unite asked members of the union employed at the Airbus plant in Broughton to vote the plan to move to a shorter working week.

The plan, which has been negotiated between Unite and Airbus, will see a reduction in the working week of between five and ten per cent for a short period of time to remove the possibility of compulsory redundancies.

It also provides a roadmap to a resumption of full-time working once the coronavirus crisis, which has hit the aviation industry hard, begins to ease.

Almost 1,000 jobs have already been lost at Broughton.

Today, after about 3,500 workers were balloted, Unite announced its members have voted in favour of its proposal for the shorter working week at Airbus in Broughton.

Broughton Head of Plant Jerome Blandin said: “We are delighted the Trade Union members have supported a proposal which was rooted in helping save jobs at the Plant. The shorter working week increases our flexibility and will help us manage the downturn in demand we are facing.

"We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the TU on the implementation of the new working arrangements at the appropriate time.”

Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary commented: “Whilst it is not ideal that our members have had to commit to a shorter working week, this decision should be viewed against the background of an unprecedented crisis in global aviation. This solution to the crisis faced by Airbus is one that could be deployed to other manufacturing sites across Wales in order to avoid large scale redundancies. These unprecedented times require creative solutions.

Unite members have overwhelmingly made the selfless decision to reduce their hours and pay to secure the jobs of their fellow workers. Ultimately this is an act of collective solidarity by a world class workforce. ”.

Daz Reynolds, Unite Convenor at Airbus, added: “The senior trade union team at Airbus are delighted that the workforce have backed the proposal we have negotiated with Airbus to save jobs. This is a short term measure that will protect highly skilled jobs at Broughton, including the fourth year apprentices who are looking for a long term future with Airbus.

"Coronavirus has been devastating for the Aerospace sector and the past year has been extremely difficult for the site, after losing almost 1,000 jobs through voluntary redundancy todays result is extremely welcome for all our members.

"Unite will always do everything it can to protect our members interests and today’s decision does that in its purest form, by saving jobs. This result gives us a route out of the current crisis and we now look to the future and better times ahead, we will continue to work constructively with the company to secure a long term future for this plant and everyone employed here."