The Prime Minister has been asked to “personally intervene” in a move to shut down a Rolls-Royce factory which would result in 200 jobs being axed, it was revealed today.

Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, said he had spoken to Gordon Brown this morning on the phone to call for action to stop the factory in Bootle, Merseyside, being closed.

Mr Woodley made the plea hours before he joined more than 200 Rolls-Royce workers and their supporters in a march through Liverpool city centre.

The joint general secretary of Unite also said that he would be meeting the Prime Minister early next week to “review” the current situation.

He said: “It’s not a case of ’the Government haven’t helped’. We have a company at the moment that isn’t listening.

“We’ve got a company that’s making massive profits, we’ve got a plant that is very profitable, it’s got good, strong order books and all we’ve got here is corporate greed.

“Our kids later will pay the price and that’s why I have made contact with Gordon Brown this morning asking him to personally intervene now.

“This is a blue chip, major British manufacturing company and they rely on our Government for orders and grant aid and they have had tens of millions of pounds from this Government in the past.

“My message is this: if they can’t support our country and our jobs then they are not entitled to taxpayers’ money for projects in to the future. So Rolls-Royce have to change their mind and this Government has got to help change their minds.

“We are hoping to meet the Prime Minister early next week as there is no justification for the closure.”

The future of the plant, which makes turbines for the aviation industry, had been in doubt since the company launched a review in November last year.

Workers have staged demonstrations against the review and collected 20,000 signatures of support in a petition which was handed to Downing Street.

Union leaders claim Rolls-Royce intends to transfer manufacturing to its plant in Mount Vernon in Ohio, United States.

Holding placards with the words “Keep Rolls-Royce pride on Merseyside” and waving Union Jack flags, the demonstrators marched to the front of St George’s Hall in Liverpool.

Rolls-Royce worker Mike Pugh, 60, who has worked at the plant in Bootle for six years and lives in Heswall, the Wirral, said: “The thing we find difficult to accept is that we are awash with work at the moment. This fight is more for the younger people - those with families and big mortgages.

“I’m very pleased with the turnout today but the Government needs to do more. I have been very disappointed with what the Government has done to help us.”

Speaking about the possibility of production moving to the United States, Mr Pugh said: “It is an unbelievable idea. If the place was empty and had no work then the company could make the change. But we have work.”

Unite regional officer Debbie Brennan said: “Jobs being sold to America is totally unacceptable. We need to stop the exploitation of British jobs.

“I’m amazed by the turnout. This shows that the people of Merseyside are not accepting the exploitation of our jobs. This is still winnable.”

Speaking at the demonstration, Arlene McCarthy, Labour MEP for the North West, said: “The workers in this plant are producing a top quality product that’s increasingly in demand.

“Of course companies want to make a profit, but they have a commitment to their staff, to local communities and to the UK economy in general to take long-term decisions about their production, not just try and make a short-term buck out of the cheap dollar exchange rate.”

The MEP said Rolls-Royce had to show its “long-term commitment to Europe”.

She said: “The UK Government and the EU have provided Rolls-Royce with considerable funding for research and development in recent years, on the basis of their contribution to the British and European economy. The company should show its long-term commitment to Europe and work with its employees and the Regional Development Agency on ways to keep the Bootle site a strong part of their operation.”

A spokesman for Rolls-Royce said the decision to close the plant came following a review of workloads, UK labour costs and exchange rates.

He said both the Bootle plant, which was bought by Rolls-Royce in 1999, and the Mount Vernon factory are involved in the same process, packaging equipment for industrial uses.

He said: “There is not enough work for two plants and given the high costs in the UK and the exchange rate, we have made the decision to close the Bootle plant.”

He said it was never the case that the decision was a foregone conclusion.

He said: “It is not true to say the consultation was a sham. We did things properly and informed our employers of what was happening at every point.”

On Wednesday, around 130 of the Rolls-Royce workers called for a ballot for industrial action following the announcement the plant would be shut. The ballot is expected to be held later this month.

end

1 INDUSTRY Rolls Lead

(Corrected repetition: amends spelling of the surname of Unite regional officer

Debbie Brannan)

BROWN ASKED TO STEP IN OVER ROLLS-ROYCE CLOSURE

By Karl Mansfield, PA

The Prime Minister has been asked to “personally intervene” in a move to shut down a Rolls-Royce factory which would result in 200 jobs being axed, it was revealed today.

Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, said he had spoken to Gordon Brown this morning on the phone to call for action to stop the factory in Bootle, Merseyside, being closed.

Mr Woodley made the plea hours before he joined more than 200 Rolls-Royce workers and their supporters in a march through Liverpool city centre.

The joint general secretary of Unite also said that he would be meeting the Prime Minister early next week to “review” the current situation.

He said: “It’s not a case of ’the Government haven’t helped’. We have a company at the moment that isn’t listening.

“We’ve got a company that’s making massive profits, we’ve got a plant that is very profitable, it’s got good, strong order books and all we’ve got here is corporate greed.

“Our kids later will pay the price and that’s why I have made contact with Gordon Brown this morning asking him to personally intervene now.

“This is a blue chip, major British manufacturing company and they rely on our Government for orders and grant aid and they have had tens of millions of pounds from this Government in the past.

“My message is this: if they can’t support our country and our jobs then they are not entitled to taxpayers’ money for projects in to the future. So Rolls-Royce have to change their mind and this Government has got to help change their minds.

“We are hoping to meet the Prime Minister early next week as there is no justification for the closure.”

The future of the plant, which makes turbines for the aviation industry, had been in doubt since the company launched a review in November last year.

Workers have staged demonstrations against the review and collected 20,000 signatures of support in a petition which was handed to Downing Street.

Union leaders claim Rolls-Royce intends to transfer manufacturing to its plant in Mount Vernon in Ohio, United States.

Holding placards with the words “Keep Rolls-Royce pride on Merseyside” and waving Union Jack flags, the demonstrators marched to the front of St George’s Hall in Liverpool.

Rolls-Royce worker Mike Pugh, 60, who has worked at the plant in Bootle for six years and lives in Heswall, the Wirral, said: “The thing we find difficult to accept is that we are awash with work at the moment. This fight is more for the younger people - those with families and big mortgages.

“I’m very pleased with the turnout today but the Government needs to do more. I have been very disappointed with what the Government has done to help us.”

Speaking about the possibility of production moving to the United States, Mr Pugh said: “It is an unbelievable idea. If the place was empty and had no work then the company could make the change. But we have work.”

Unite regional officer Debbie Brannan said: “Jobs being sold to America is totally unacceptable. We need to stop the exploitation of British jobs.

“I’m amazed by the turnout. This shows that the people of Merseyside are not accepting the exploitation of our jobs. This is still winnable.”

Speaking at the demonstration, Arlene McCarthy, Labour MEP for the North West, said: “The workers in this plant are producing a top quality product that’s increasingly in demand.

“Of course companies want to make a profit, but they have a commitment to their staff, to local communities and to the UK economy in general to take long-term decisions about their production, not just try and make a short-term buck out of the cheap dollar exchange rate.”

The MEP said Rolls-Royce had to show its “long-term commitment to Europe”.

She said: “The UK Government and the EU have provided Rolls-Royce with considerable funding for research and development in recent years, on the basis of their contribution to the British and European economy.

“The company should show its long-term commitment to Europe and work with its employees and the Regional Development Agency on ways to keep the Bootle site a strong part of their operation.”

A spokesman for Rolls-Royce said the decision to close the plant came following a review of workloads, UK labour costs and exchange rates.

He said both the Bootle plant, which was bought by Rolls-Royce in 1999, and the Mount Vernon factory are involved in the same process, packaging equipment for industrial uses.

He said: “There is not enough work for two plants and given the high costs in the UK and the exchange rate, we have made the decision to close the Bootle plant.”

He said it was never the case that the decision was a foregone conclusion.

He said: “It is not true to say the consultation was a sham. We did things properly and informed our employers of what was happening at every point.”

On Wednesday, around 130 of the Rolls-Royce workers called for a ballot for industrial action following the announcement the plant would be shut. The ballot is expected to be held later this month.