Government Policy Will Axe 50,000 Jobs in Aircraft

from Dave Windsor The following report which appeared in the December 19th Sunday Times Business News is most instructive and should be studied by trade unionists concerned with the aricraft industry. "A merger of the British Aircraft Corporation and Hawker Siddeley (Aviation) Ltdes a cut of 50,000 workers in the 250,000 employed in the aircraft industry; the State purchase of a majority of the two airframe companies! shares; the end of Short's of Belfast as an aircraft building company; and an Anglo-French air bus in place of the projected 300-seat V C 10 airliners. These are the Government's principal decisions on the Plowden Report on the Aircraft Industry, The Government has already decided not only to implement the majority of the Plowden Committee's findings - including those which will involve big sha -ups in its own air-connected Ministries = but also to act on the three major questions left open by the Plowden findings. These were what size should the aircraft industry bes; should B.A.C,. and Hawker Siddeley be merged ; and what proportion of their shares should be acquired by the Government? , "Mr. Roy Jenkins, Minister of Aviation, now beljeves that both Cabinet and Parliamentary support for his post=Plowden plans can be gained without creating a political struggle on the scale and intensity which would normally be expected to surround an extension of State control. Before a major aire craft debate is held in the Commons, early in February, the preliminary moves for putting into effect the Plowden, and the post-Plowden beHef, will have begun. It is probable that key men involved in the B.A.C,.-Hawker Siddeley (Aviation) proposals will take part in unofficial discussions during the Christmas ‘holiday! season, The Government!s decisions not to back the proposed 300-seat development of the V C 10, represents a key policy decision. B,.A.C. now appear to be in the position of having no hope of further major supplies of capital from its three owing companies, English Electric, Vickers and British Aeroplane. "At the same time the Government's determination to back the projected Anglo-French air bus (a jet=-powered plane capable of carrying several hundred passengers on inter-European flights at near=-train fares) reflects Plowden's “into-Europet recommendation, This means that they do intend to keep Britmin active in the international air business, Mr, Jenkins may be able to give Parliament some further hints on future policy through accepting Plowden's advice = to review the Ministry of Aviation's own future, improve the pract} ical research work of the Government research establishments, and to create a single central Government organisation for promoting aerospace exportse One political danger-point is raised by the new Government thinking, The decision to allow Short's, Belfast, itself controlled by the State, to move away from aircraft building will cause considerable resentment in Conservative circles,"