Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
2,000 jobs axed in defence cuts
But Tories deny they have put skilled workers at risk
THE Government denied military spending plans were to blame for defence giant BAE Systems axing 2,000 jobs yesterday.
Unions and Labour called for the Government to save skilled jobs by bringing forward orders, such as replacing the Red Arrows fleet.
BAE is slowing production of Eurofighter Typhoons, despite an expected order of 24 from Qatar.
Its military air business will lose 1,400 jobs across five sites over three years.
They include Warton and Samlesbury, Lancs, where Eurofighter is built and the Mantis unmanned plane was developed.
BAE chief Charles Woodburn said changes were intended to streamline business, lose middle management roles, make it more competitive and “renew the focus on technology”. Business Minister Claire Perry said cuts were a result of business practice, not Government defence policy. She told MPS the MOD had spent almost £4billion with BAE Systems in the past year. Labour Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith said: “The Government must come forward with an urgent plan to save these jobs. It must include the possibility of bringing forward orders to provide additional work for BAE’S employees, such as replacing the Red Arrows’ fleet of Hawk aircraft.”
GMB union officer Ross Murdoch said: “The PM must forge trade deals with overseas partners, as well as delivering a cast-iron commitment to build the next-generation fighters.”
One worker, John, 44, who has worked for BAE at Brough, near Hull, for 27 years, said: “I’m hopeful the number of redundancies will be reduced for the sake of the local community and employees.”
A female colleague, who did not want to be named, said: “My job won’t be safe, it is manufacturing related. My husband’s self-employed.
“I’m the breadwinner when he has no work.”