Saturday, March 01, 2008

US Air Force St David’s Day Pressie to North Wales



Really pleased to hear today about the 15 year, £20 Billion aviation contract from the USA Air force for 179 new in-air refuelling planes. The wings of these planes are manufactured in the Airbus site in Broughton, Flintshire, North Wales (and its factory Bristol). It is a major employer in the area with currently about 7,000 workers (a lot more elsewhere in the UK). This order will secure local jobs for many years. The Broughton factory is really vital to the local economy. Lots of skilled and relatively well paid jobs.

I was brought up only a few miles away in Buckley and the factory was always an important major local employer. My father actually came down from Scotland to work at the factory in the Early 50’s when it was owned by Dehavillands. He was a member of the Electrician Union, a shop steward and its Assistant Branch Secretary for many years.

Keeping it in the family, my “little” sister’s husband, is an aircraft technician who has worked at the site and is currently working for Airbus on its production line in Spain.

It seems that the unions in the US are “kicking off” about this order, since they wanted the work to go to Boeing. I think we can all understand this. However, I believe that 80% of the contract will still be carried out in the US?

Anyway, Hapus Dydd Dewi Sant – this is even much, much better news than last year!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shame our own government can't award some badly needed contracts for our armed forces? Brown's shameful legacy as chancellor...what a tosser.

John Gray said...

Anon, your comment doesn’t make any sense in this context (or any other?)? Or is it only me? (probably)