APPENDIX 3
Memorandum submitted by BAE SYSTEMS Trade
Unions Chadderton
1. The Chadderton site is located in the
North West. The workforce is made up from Greater Manchester and
the surrounding areas, eg Oldham, Chadderton, Middleton, Moston,
Rochdale and beyond.
2. We are presently involved in projects
such as the Regional Jet (146) production. Nimrod Wing assembly,
Airbus and Boeing wing manufacture and Spares and Repair work
for Tornado, Harrier and Jaguar aircraft amongst others.
3. We have a growing concern regarding the
amount of Aircraft manufacturing work being subcontracted to Eastern
Europe, eg Romania, South Africa and other parts of the globe.
4. Detail manufacture has now ceased at
the Chadderton factory. Airbus and Boeing manufacture will discontinue
by the middle of 2001. Some Airbus work will transfer to Alenia
in Italy. Nimrod Wing production long term is uncertain and new
Spares and Repairs work has not fully compensated for the work
being outsourced to Romania and Poland.
5. The net result is that half of the Chadderton
plant has been closed down and the workforce will reduce from
1,800 people to 1,200 "or less."
6. Similar situations exist throughout BAE
SYSTEMS and the whole of the Aerospace Industry. In fact the entire
British manufacturing base is at risk. This erosion should not
be allowed to continue.
2 January 2001
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