Aerospace Jobs

Why it began and where it will end are open to endless debate and speculation. The recent deal cooked up by the Reagan/Bush Administrations delivered countless thousands of U.S. aerospace workers’ jobs to the Japanese when the FX fighter plane contract was inked.

Now we read (Dec. 21) that McDonnell Douglas has arranged to ship even more defense jobs and technology overseas in a joint venture with the South Korean government through the F/A-18 subcontract.

C’mon, guys, give us a break! American taxpayers have paid--and continue to shell out--enormous funds for defense technology and development of highly sophisticated weaponry. For the federal government and major contractors to arbitrarily turn over to foreign powers what we’ve learned and paid for is ludicrous.

Yet not one editor of a major newspaper has the gumption to come out and say, “It’s time every citizen stopped buying foreign-made goods and started buying American-made products!”

To be sure, McDonnell Douglas corporate executives and major shareholders will reap enormous profits from this deal with Korea. But American workers and taxpayers will end up paying the bill.

Korean aerospace workers earn barely starvation wages under an openly hostile, repressive government. Is this a good deal for America? I think not.

AL YBARRA,

President, Local 887

United Aerospace Workers

Anaheim