ROLLS-Royce has announced it will close its Barnoldswick sites on Friday (November 27) for an extended Christmas break because of ongoing strike action.

It says it has taken the step because the staff who normally help close the Bankfield and Ghyll Brow sites safely and securely are planning to strike from the end of the month.

And, while the site remains closed, it says it will 'source parts that would normally be made in Barnoldswick from other parts of our supply chain.'

The action has been described as an act of 'self-mutilation' by Unite the union, which represents workers at the plant, and as 'the latest move in an increasingly acrimonious industrial dispute' by Barnoldswick councillor, David Whipp.

Unite members have been undertaking targeted strike action since November 6, which was due to end on Christmas Eve, December 24, in a campaign to secure the future of the historic factory.

Unite says in a briefing staff were told that “on the basis of health and safety” the sites would close for an extended Christmas shutdown and workers would not return until after Christmas.

They were also informed that work currently undertaken at Barnoldswick will be immediately transferred to Japan, Singapore and Spain.

The union says Rolls-Royce has further announced that workers who are not part of the current targeted industrial action will be furloughed from Monday November 30 until Friday December 18 and will receive 80 per cent of their pay during this time.

The ‘Rolls-Royce furlough’ is not part of the government’s Job Retention Scheme, nor is it something that has been agreed with Unite.

Because of this, Unite says it is seeking urgent clarification and is considering a legal challenge to ensure the workers who were not on strike receive 100 per cent of their wages.

Unite regional officer Ross Quinn said: “We have consistently called on Rolls Royce to work with us to find the resolution that the members who have given their working lives to Rolls Royce deserve.

“However the company has shown absolutely no appetite to resolve the dispute. The decision to lock workers out of Barnoldswick before Christmas and to immediately offshore work at the factory demonstrates that Rolls-Royce has no intention of negotiating or consulting its loyal workers on its plans."

He added: “Workers at Barnoldswick, who take huge pride in their work, began targeted industrial action as a last resort in order to ensure the future of the historic factory.

“By its actions today it appears that Rolls-Royce is simply not prepared to enter into negotiations and to preserve this historic site. Instead it has undertaken this course of action which damages workers, the local community and the historic Rolls-Royce brand.

“We remain committed to finding a resolution and call on the company to meet with Unite immediately before they do irreparable damage to this workforce and community.”

Unite national officer for aerospace Rhys McCarthy said: “Rolls-Royce actions are totally unacceptable. At a time when they should be entering into negotiations, they have instead locked workers out and moved work abroad.

“It is vitally important that the government and MPs make it entirely clear to Rolls-Royce that its actions are deplorable and should be reversed immediately.

“Since Rolls-Royce first announced its intentions, Unite has been crystal clear that it was fully prepared to negotiate to secure the future of Barnoldswick and this still remains the case.”

Cllr David Whipp said: "This is the latest move in an increasingly acrimonious industrial dispute arising from the company's decision to move wide-chord fan blade production to Singapore.

"Despite targeted strike action by employees, production in some areas has continued. But from Friday, employees will be furloughed and the sites shut down.

"This is an unfolding tragedy for the company's presence in Barnoldswick. It threatens the life-blood of our town and advanced manufacturing across Pendle and East Lancashire."

He added: "It's beyond time that all sides, including the Government, got round the table before the company burns its boats in Barnoldswick.

The situation is going from bad to worse. Action is needed now."

A spokesperson for Rolls-Royce said: “We always have a shutdown of our UK facilities over Christmas.

"In Barnoldswick we are having to carry out that shutdown early because the staff who help us close the site safely and securely are planning to be on strike from the end of this month.

"We will be furloughing employees – on 80 per cent of their normal pay – but will not be claiming this money back from the UK Government.

"Due to the length of the industrial action and unclear duration, we will have to source parts that would normally be made in Barnoldswick from other parts of our supply chain.

"This temporary use of dual source suppliers is needed to protect Rolls Royce customers and is not the same as moving work overseas.”

In August Rolls-Royce announced that it intended to offshore the work on its Trent jet engine blades from Barnoldswick to a site in Singapore, with the loss of 350 jobs. Unite has warned this would make the factory, which Rolls-Royce has operated for over 70 years, potentially unviable.

It says the loss of jobs or the potential closure of the site would have a devastating effect on the town and the community of Barnoldswick where Rolls-Royce remains the principal employer.