Shorts production hit by strike

Industrial action has effectively crippled production at Northern Ireland's largest manufacturer.

Shorts workers belonging to one of the biggest unions at the Belfast plant at Queen's Island staged a wildcat strike today in protest over pay and cutbacks at the firm.

Last week over 2,000 Amicus union members staged a sit-in in the firm's canteen as the six-month dispute spilled over into industrial action.

Employees were sent home when they refused to co-operate with a computerised production tracking system, which the company claim is necessary to comply with aerospace industry regulations.

Although workers were warned last week that any unofficial action would make them liable to be dismissed, it is understood that many of the workers have since gone home.

Workers in the second largest union the GMB, not so far involved in the strike, turned up for work today.

Both the main unions have threatened an all-out strike later this week as tensions remain high.

In a brief statement, Shorts management said they found the union action "extraordinary" at a time when the aerospace industry faced its worst crisis in years when the reputation of the company and jobs were being put at risk.

(SP)