Airbus workers agree to shorter working week to save jobs

Airbus is reassessing its employees work week in its site in Flintshire in an attempt to save jobs, as the company swims against the tide of coronavirus-related airline groundings. A ballot of up to 3,500 members of the Unite union voted in favour of a working hours cut for employees at the Welsh plant. The site employs 6,000 people and it is thought that between 350 and 400 jobs were under threat before the action. The BBC reported that it is hoped the reduction in working hours could help avoid compulsory redundancies and that it could mean a 10% reduction in hours. In a regular five-day working week, this would cut around half a day of work. 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.”<br/>