As far as we know we're alright till the end of this year and 2001 but after that people just think it might be closing

Fruit of the Loom employee

The announcements come as the textile industry experiences a downturn due to the availability of cheaper labour in central European and Far Eastern countries.

Fruit of the Loom management have said their latest cutbacks will not affect more than 500 workers at their two plants in Derry.

One employee told the BBC that he believed the company would close in the long term.

"As far as we know we're alright till the end of this year and 2001 but after that people just think it might be closing," he said.

Another worker said nobody really knew what was happening.

In Strabane, management at Adria introduced a scheme of selective short-term working. Workers at the firm's plants in Derry and Newry are also affected.

The company employs 2,000 workers and says it decided to introduce the four-day week because high stock levels were exceeding current demand.

A union representative said people could not afford to lose a day's pay but he added the cutbacks could be because of seasonal factors.

"We have seen this in Adria down through the years where, at particular times in the year, they have put people on short time," said Felix McCrossan of the GMB union.

The local Chamber of Commerce is concerned about the current developments as the town has a large dependency on Adria.

"We would need a diversification into e-commerce and we would need to have people employed in other industries so that the future of everybody is assured in the long term," said Chamber of Commerce representative Pat McCourt.

The Chamber of Commerce is preparing a case for assistance to present to government.