15,000 job losses?

[kwicky]

Today China has agreed with President Chirac to buy 150 A320 Airbus planes with the proviso that a plant is set up in China to produce the plane. Britain has 15,000 highly skilled workers that currently produce wings for Airbus planes. Will they be able to compete with the Chinese and their low labour costs?

[Bazile]

Probably not - but that is the way most companies seems to be heading nowadays - use the cheapest labour to produce your goods or services .

incidentally, I may be wrong , but given that Britain is a partner in the Airbus consortium , isn't there protection for the jobs of the british workers producing the wings ?

[Clanad]

All one has do do is take a look at the balance of aircraft sales between Boeing and Airbus to understand the European consortium will do anything to advance its lagging sales. Additionally, the embarassing delays in getting the A380 going doesn't help the image as far as other buyers are concerned... Lufthansa had planned to be flying the aircraft by the end of 2007, but won't get the first aircraft until 2009 and that's if they can the production up and running... Score: Boeing 787; 250... Airbus A380: Zip...

[kwicky]

Partner in Airbus?

see http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/07/bae_ai rbus/