VARIOUS: Airbus workers in France, Germany and Spain protest against job cuts

Airbus workers in France, Germany and Spain gathered for protests against 10,000 planned job cuts and the sale of six plants on Friday (March 16) after delays to its A380 superjumbo sparked hefty losses. The European plane maker and its parent cokpany EADS announced the job losses and the full or partial sale of six production sites after wiring problems forced the company to delay delivery of its double-decker A380, the world's largest jet liner. Workers in Toulouse, Hamburg and Seville were gathering for protests against the "Power 8" restructuring plan at Airbus, U.S. planemaker Boeing's arch rival. France is due to bear the brunt of the job losses. In Paris around 400 protestors marcxhed to EADS headquarters. Jean Lavollay, who works on a plant that makes rocket launchers for Ariane 5, said : "Europe in terms of cooperation in the space industry is very good, but today it looks more like competition between countries when it should be about cooperation" Thousands of Airbus workers went on strike at its French factories earlier this month, protesting against a restructuring plan that has dominated France's presidential election campaign. Union representative Patrice Monoy says he wants the state's intervention: "The state doesn't play it's role as a shareholder to control and take the right decisions. we see what happens when financers are left to decide on industrial politics" Monoy said. In Getafe, Spain, some 20 kilometres from Madrid, employees stopped activities at 1100 local (1000gmt) and gathered for sixty minutes outside the assembly plant. "Today is a historic day for the European unions as, for the first time ever, employees from six countries have coincided for a protest. That is a great success," said Jose Alcazar Blazquez, one of the union leaders who participated in the protest. In Hamburg, Germany location of another assembly plant, regional prime minister Christian Wullf called upon Airbus and the parent company EADS management to involve staff more in the search for a solution. "This is a signal that the various German states and Germany as a whole are behind the employees," Wulff told reporters. "They are highly qualified, they know how to build planes and they must not be blamed for the mistakes the management made," Wulff said, standing amidst Airbus employees blowing whistles and applauding IG Metall union members. Hundreds of employees also protested outside the Laupheim plant in Southern Germany. Of the 10,000 planned job cuts, 4,300 will fall in France, 3,700 in Germany, 1,600 in Britain and 400 in Spain. The sites of Meaulte in France, Nordenhalm in Germany and Filton in Britain will be opened to industrial partners while those of Saint-Nazaire in France, Laupheim and Varel in Germany will be sold to suppliers.

ITN Source | March 17, 2007

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