STRIKING Rolls-Royce workers have received messages of support from America, France and around the world as the Barnoldswick dispute enters its fourth week.

Statements were reported from the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, France’s CGT metalworker’s union, Belgium’s General Labour Federation and many more.

This comes after workers first launched a series of targeted strikes due to the company’s plans to cut 350 jobs as part of an offshoring move, before the dispute intensified after Rolls-Royce announced a ‘Christmas lockout’ which will see the plant closed entirely until after the festive period and the possible cutting of a further 140 jobs.

The statement received from America, now made public by the Unite union, said: “We commend your struggle to retain this work.

“Rolls-Royce has used your members’ labour to become the successful multinational corporation they are today.

“We hope your strike reinforces for them how important the highly skilled Barnoldswick workers are.”

Meanwhile, the workers and their supporters are also calling on MPs to sign an early day motion, known as EDM 1200, in parliament calling on the government to ensure that jobs are protected at the site.

Cheshire East Borough Councillor and former MP for Crewe Laura Smith, who has publicly urged MPs to support jobs at the plant, said that the outcome of the dispute would have ramifications across the country.

She said: “While the strikers at Barnoldswick deserve our full support and solidarity, this is not only about them.

“It is also about the history and future of our country.

“Rolls-Royce has styled itself as the best of British but that is the result of the skill and dedication of the workforce, not of company management – and management is now proposing to simply throw all that away.

“The outcome of the struggle in Barnoldswick will be critical in shaping the future of communities all over country, especially in the North of England.

“It is a dispute that both the Rolls-Royce workers and the wider trade union movement simply cannot afford to lose.”

The strikers have already received messages of support from Labour leader Keir Starmer, Conservative MP for Pendle Andrew Stephenson and Liberal Democrat councillor and deputy leader of Pendle Council David Whipp.

However, the company has said that though the job losses were “upsetting” the plans would not mean that the entire plant is under threat despite employees fears to the contrary.

A spokesperson said: “While this will be hugely upsetting news for our colleagues in Barnoldswick, this does not mean we are closing our Barnoldswick site.

"Following our proposal in August to relocate part of our fan blade manufacturing, Barnoldswick will be the home of a product development and technical support centre for wide chord fan blades and continue to manufacture blades for a range of defence and civil aerospace applications."