Calls to manage Airbus job cuts

Airbus confirms plans to cut jobs

Airbus has a future in north Wales, despite looking to cut 250 agency jobs, the local assembly member has said.

Carl Sargeant AM said the company was committed to keeping its apprenticeship scheme at the Broughton site, and the cuts were a "blow we've got to manage."

Unions said they had been told the cuts were a result of a downturn in orders for the Hawker business jet.

But BBC Wales' business correspondent Nick Servini said he understood orders for other planes were holding up.

"These are the kind of jets that highly-paid American bankers fly around the world with - so it will come as no surprise that the order book is drying up," he said.

"That's been reflected in the figures - they're selling less than half the number of these jets that they have done in the past.

"The bulk of the work here is for the wings for the larger commercial aircraft and the order book, we understand, is holding up reasonably well."

The company said on Monday it was asking Blue Arrow Managed Services to reduce by approximately 250 the number of agency workers it provides to the Broughton plant, which employs around 6,000.

Fuselage and wings for Hawker jets are also made at Broughton

It said avoiding compulsory redundancies was the "shared objective."

Mr Sargeant, the AM for Alyn and Deeside, said he hoped some workers may be able to transfer to other parts of the factory.

"This is very disappointing news for 250 people and 250 families. It's something we need to keep a very close eye on," he said.

"We are very concerned that one of our largest companies in Wales and in the UK is making these redundancies, but we have to maintain a base for the future and we've got to look beyond this in terms of when we come out of the difficult times.

"They're very committed to maintaining their apprenticeship scheme - remember this is the largest apprentice scheme in the whole of the UK - in a single factory, in Wales, in Flintshire.

"It is a large factory, there is a future for Airbus in Wales, this is a blow currently that we've got to manage and I'm hoping that with support from the assembly government, the company and trade unions, we can work through this."

'Depths of the crisis'

Conservative economic spokesman, David Melding, said the job losses were a "particularly grim indication" of the state of the Welsh economy.

"Airbus is the premier manufacturer in Wales and has set standards of excellence on training and skills development.

"That such a company is reported to be considering this move shows the depth of the crisis the Welsh economy is now facing."

A spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said: "We are monitoring the situation at Broughton, and will remain in close contact with Airbus and Blue Arrow Managed Services throughout the consultation process to jointly explore any opportunity of preserving these jobs.

"Whilst disappointing, it is encouraging to note that both parties will seek to avoid any compulsory redundancies."