DEUTSCHE AIRBUS has agreed with unions to lose up to 3,000 jobs by the end of 1997 and to reduce the working week by 2h, to 35h.
The cuts in the operation's 16,500-strong workforce are being taken as part of the company's drive to improve the efficiency of the six Airbus plants in northern Germany.
The redundancies will be achieved voluntarily. The company is trying to improve productivity by 30% over the next three years, and to reduce lead times by 50%.
Deutsche Airbus says that the measures are necessary because of the prevailing "extremely tough" market conditions. Airbus Industrie expects to build just 110 aircraft in 1995, against 135 during 1994.
Source: Flight International
