Socialist Party Wales Socialism In Wales
By Dave Reid
Over 400 G E Aircraft Engine Services workers and supporters marched through Caerphilly in a socially-distanced but lively demonstration to save jobs at the Nantgarw plant.
GE has announced the loss of 369 jobs out of a workforce of 1350 which threatens the long-term future of the aircraft engine plant. Jobs at GE are hi-tech, highly skilled and well-paid industrial jobs. For generations the plant has taken on dozens of apprentices, male and female, to be trained for well-paid jobs. The knock-on effect of lay-offs and job losses at the plant will be devastating on communities in Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taff.
Nearly 4000 job losses have been announced at plants in the Welsh aviation industry since the Covid pandemic began which threatens the loss of thousands more jobs in the supply industries. The temporary collapse in the aviation industry is allowing employers to restructure to the detriment of workers.
Every loss of jobs at GE threatens the viability of the plant and means it might lose important projects bringing the future of the plant into question. 2500 jobs were lost after the slowdown in aviation following 9/11 in 2001. Once lost the jobs are gone forever: rather than re-skilling for other jobs the already skilled workers mainly migrated to where the work was across the world. So the loss of 369 jobs would be a permanent blow and there have been rumours that another couple of hundred jobs could go.
GE workers are demanding that the UK government steps in to safeguard the plant and the jobs. At the rally Kerry Owens, Unite deputy convenor, showed the determination of workers to save all the jobs. A total of 1350 work at the plant and all but 300 are on furlough. He demanded that all the furloughed workers – including those whose jobs are threatened – be brought back into work for training and upskilling on the new low fuel GE9X engine. Three days/week, he proposed, could be paid by the company and two days mainly by Central and Welsh Government – with a contribution by Local Government.
None of the GE workers in Italy, Germany and France, Kerry told the crowd, are losing their jobs, because governments there have bowed to workers’ pressure and moved to implement similar schemes. He pledged the full support of GE workers to BA workers fighting job losses and attacks on wages and conditions.
And Alec Thraves pointed out, speaking on behalf of the National Shop Stewards Network and the Socialist Party, there should be no bail out for the bosses like there were with the banks. GE made $1billion profit at the beginning of the year. If they say they cannot afford to keep all jobs at the plant then the company should open the books to show where those profits went and if necessary the plant should be nationalised.
Aviation engines have been maintained at Nantgarw for 80 years, originally as part of British Airways, before being taken over by GE in 1991. If GE begins to run the plant down then the government must step back in to save this important facility. The plant should be brought back into public ownership along with BA (which is threatening 42,000 jobs) and the aviation industry planned.
In 1971 Rolls Royce aircraft production was nationalised by the Tory Heath government when the company was in trouble. Most of the industry has been nationalised at one time or another because of its strategic importance. With thousands of aviation jobs once again under threat there must be a mass campaign by aviation unions to force the government to step in and re-nationalise the industry.
The speakers at the rally included in order of appearance – Kerry Owens, GE Aviation Wales Co-Convenor; Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary; Mariam Kamish, Secretary of Caerphilly Trades Council, also chairing the rally; Wayne David, MP for Caerphilly; Katrine Williams, President of Cardiff Trades Council and PCS DWP Group Vice President; Alex Davies-Jones, MP for Pontypridd; Mick Antoniw, MS for Pontypridd; Beth Winter, MP for Cynon Valley; Alec Thraves, Welsh Shop Stewards Network and Vice President of Swansea Trades Council; Lianne Dallimore, Secretary of Caerphilly Borough Council Unison; Hefin David, MS for Caerphilly; Nia Griffiths, MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales; Chris Bryant, MP for the Rhondda; and Philippa Marsden, Caerphilly Council Leader.
