Control Of Air Industry Urged

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 15

Control Of Air Industry Urged

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter —Copyright)

BLACKPOOL (England), September 8. The Trades Union Congress today called for State control of the country’s aircraft industry and nationalisation of its key sections.

A resolution approved by a show of hands from delegates representing nine million workers at the annual Congress in Blackpool also urged the Government to make it easier for the two State airlines —British European Airways and the British Overseas Airways Corporation—to buy British products. Moving the twin resolution on behalf of the trades union, Mr J. McKernan claimed very small return had been received for £5500 million sterling of the taxpayers’ money which had been subscribed to the industry.

The industry should be nationalised around a nucleus of. the four main airframe firms, Mr McKernan said. Seconding the motion, Mr R. A. Grantham, of the Clerical and Administrative Workers’ Union, said if Britain was to compete with America in the aircraft field a much larger market than just the United Kingdom was needed. This meant organising a European industry. Any policy for the aircraft industry that did not have a European home market as its central feature was doomed to failure, he said.