The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1945-08-03
VANISHING
AIRCRAFT JOBS
BY Boris Shishkin
A. F. of L. Economist


"Will there be work for me after the
war;"
Zone and three-quarter million
workers in the aircraft industry are
asking this question.
All types of American fighting
planes have made history in the air
during this war. The majority of these
ships, their engines, parts and assem-
blies, have been built by aircraft work
ers who are members of the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists, affil-
lated with the American Federation of
Labor. These men and women who
have broken all records in aircraft
production realize that the aircraft in
dustry will shrink rapidly after the
war is won. But they want to make
sure that as a matter of national pol
icy, the American people make provi-
sion for normal peacetime growth of
aircraft production.
Harvey Brown, the president of the
International Association of Machin-
lists, said to me, "Our great aircraft
production program has contributed
enormously to victory in Europe. 1t is
now sealing the doom Of Japan. Air
craft production should not be allowed
to disintegrate in the postwar years.
| am sure that the nation will sup
port every effort on the part of the
government to maintain in operation
sufficient number of aircraft plants
to enable America to retain her air
supremacy"
With this objective in mind, we
should look upon the future of the
aircraft industry with sober realism.
At the outbreak of the war, only
three hundred and twenty planes were
used to maintain our entire CONNER
cial air service at home. Before the
war the aircraft construction industry
employed only about 10000 workers.
Today, it has 100000 workers. After
victory over Japan, all of the military
orders will be cancelled, except for the
experimental types. The rest of pro-
duction will revert to civilian craft.
The airlines at home are expected
to buy some 400 newly built transport
planes. Orders will be coming in from
abroad. A substantial volume of small
light planes for private use may also
go into production.
Yet with all this, the prospects are
that Immediately after VJDay air.
craft employment will drop to as low
as $4,000 or 10000. Perhaps in four to
five years, the industry can provide
steady jobs to a quarter of million
workers. This would be a mere Is
percent of the total present employ
ment
To assure suitable job opportunities
to aircraft workers, it is essential that
a program be developed to make the
best use of existing aircraft plants for
production of other articles which
could best utilize the skill and exper-
ience of aircraft workers. Most air
craft plants are too big and expen-
sive to be readily converted. 1t should
be possible to make use of these cost
ly and modern facilities by dividing
them up into multiple units, like apart
ment houses, so that number OF diff
ferent manufacturers could take over
parts of the plant and provide work
for the displaced aircraft workers.
For aircraft construction itself, the
biggest need is to launch promptly a
large program of construction Of air.
ports, landing strips, and other facili-
ties to meet the certain demand for
rapid growth of Americas aviation.
Our eagles are masters of the air
Lack of planning should not clip their
wings.
| Next week l will report to you on
postwar job opportunities among Of
flee workers, Americas forgotten men
and women.