15/09/2009

BAE Systems Plans Job Cuts

Over 1,000 jobs could be lost at leading engineering company, BAE Systems.

It has started a consultation regarding the potential closure of one of its UK sites and job cuts at another three, with the loss of an expected 1,116 jobs.

Under this programme the Woodford site in Cheshire will close at the end of 2012, on completion of the Nimrod MRA4 production contract and with the loss of 630 jobs.

Around 205 jobs will be lost at the Samlesbury site, and 170 jobs will be lost at the Warton facility, both in Lancashire.

A further 111 jobs will be lost at Farnborough in Hampshire.

The firm said it has been clear since 2003 that the Woodford site had little future beyond the end of Nimrod MRA4 production, and the workforce has been kept informed since that time. Despite "strenuous efforts" to achieve further Nimrod production work there has been none forthcoming.

It is intended that there will be a phased run-down of the site in line with the production programme.

At Samlesbury the potential job losses are in the manufacturing function and are associated with the end of Airbus work currently undertaken by BAE Systems for Spirit AeroSystems.

Potential job losses at Warton are in the Manufacturing and Operations areas as work on the Nimrod, Tornado and Hawk programmes decreases.

At Farnborough the potential job losses are in the Harrier business. The job losses are as a result of a downturn in Harrier upgrade work over the next few years.

Kevin Taylor, Managing Director of Military Air Solutions said: "Whilst we regret having to make this announcement we have to ensure we are the right size and shape to remain competitive and meet our customer’s requirements in the future.

"We will work with our employees and their representatives to explore ways of mitigating these potential job losses and we will do everything necessary to deal with the potential job losses and closure of Woodford in a professional way and support our people throughout this process."

The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU) described the news as "bitterly disappointing".

The CSEU's General Secretary Hugh Scullion said: "The CSEU will work constructively with the company to keep redundancies to a minimum and ensure no compulsory redundancies

"The CSEU believe there is still an opportunity to extend production at the Woodford site."

(GK/BMcC)

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