Government cuts nearly 2000 jobs in DARA, ABRO

Government cuts nearly 2000 jobs in DARA, ABRO

	Published : Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:05 By : Andrew Stead Print this Story

LONDON: The British government is implementing a job cut in its aviation and army vehicle repair services. As many as 1,951 jobs will be lost as a result of this downsizing, armed forces minister Adam Ingram told the House of Commons in a statement.

Ingram said 500 jobs will be cut at the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) fast-jet operation in St Athan, South Wales, 225 jobs at the DARA aircraft maintenance facility in Hampshire and 1,226 jobs at the Army Base Repair Organisation. He said the fast jet operation at St Athan will close.

Ingram claimed the job cuts would significantly enhance the required frontline readiness of vehicles and aircraft at reduced costs.

The trade unions reacted to the announcement describing the action as unwarranted. The Transport & General Workers' Union said the decision is a precursor to the government entrusting the remaining work to the private sector.

T&G's national secretary for public services Peter Allenson said the minister's announcement is a "betrayal of skilled workers as the government goes in a for a mad dash to the private sector".

Labour MPs too were dismayed by the government decision. St Athan MP John Smith and Labour Party activist Julie Morgan said the decision is a betrayal and outrage. Smith said the changes proposed would undermine the RAF's capability in defence of the nation.

Ingram told MPs that the fast jet facility will be shut by April 2007, while DARA's large aircraft business at St Athan will be market tested for a sell-off. Such a transfer would help secure around 350 St Athan jobs, he said.

Ingram said the government will help to find those involved alternative employment and will make every effort to use natural turnover and voluntary redundancy.

"ABRO and DARA are not immune to the difficult changes we have had to make across defence so that we can make the best use of our resources to support an Armed Forces that is fit for the 21st century," he said justifying the decision.

He also promised to work closely with the Welsh Assembly government to help those affected.

The Commons defence select committee is investigating the MoD capability and MPs are due to visit St Athan this month.

The Welsh Assembly government said in a statement aerospace is a key sector in Wales, employing 20,000 people in over 150 companies and with six of the world's top 10 aerospace and defence companies having operations in Wales, together with around 40 per cent of the U.K.'s repair and maintenance business, Wales is well placed to capitalise on the growth in the global maintenance and repair sector.

The ministry of defence had in November last year shifter the repair work for Harrier and Tornado jets from St Athan leading to a loss of 500 jobs then.