APPENDIX 7
Memorandum submitted by the Trades Unions
representing the Brough Site of BAE SYSTEMS
The Brough Trades Unions (TUs) represent both
the Manual and Staff workers at the Brough Site of BAE SYSTEMS
in East Yorkshire. As such the TUs are concerned about the long-term
job security of their members.
1. This document gives a brief history and
details of the work that has been taken off the Brough site and
outlines some of the concerns of the work force.
2. The site has been hit by redundancy three
times in the last three years with the workforce being reduced
from over 3,500 to around 2,500 by September 2000. Improvements
as part of the "Project Showcase" initiative, cost reductions
and the recently announced redundancy were all blamed on cost
cutting and workload problems.
3. The Company's decision to get out of
manufacturing Tier 4 and 5 work (small detail and machined parts)
to outside contractors, including work to Poland, has been a major
factor in the redundancies.
4. The site's machining capability has been
reduced with the removal of Airbus work to Filton and Alenia in
Italy and the scrapping of the FMMS machines (Flexible Milling
Manufacturing System).
5. Brough has recently lost the Gripen main
landing gear unit to Dennet in South Africa as part of the Hawk
offset. We have also lost numerous other packages of Hawk work
including the tail-plane unit. In addition, Hawk nose-cone machining
work has gone out to Hyde Engineering (a sub-contract company)
and this work is now earmarked to be put abroad in either India
or Australia as part of the Company's decision to place work with
low cost offshore companies rather than UK sub-contractors.
6. The site has lost packages of RJ146 work
to Malaysia, again as offset. This is either tier 4 or 5 work
and as such does not fit in with the Company's manufacturing strategy.
Other packages have been placed with sub-contract firms such as
In-flight, Hydes and CML.
7. The Brough site lost the chance of 21
aircraft sets of Nimrod electrical work because we are unable
to compete with the cheaper options around the world in either
Asia or Eastern Europe. This is a UK funded programme.
8. The apprentice intake on the site has
reduced from 40+ four years ago to 20 this year. We need to keep
a highly skilled manufacturing workforce within BAE SYSTEMS in
the UK, however, with the constant drain of manufacturing work
from our sites and out of the UK we are in danger of losing that
competitive capability.
9. The Brough site has a highly skilled
workforce that can take on and succeed on any project. We are,
however, in need of further Hawk orders or other sustainable work
without which we fear we will wither on the vine.
10. The TUs are also very concerned about
recent press speculation in the Financial Times that there
could be further job cuts within BAE SYSTEMS. This must be of
grave concern to both the Government and the DTI.
5 January 2001
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