Mike Kelly Defence, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer...
UK’s Defence and Manufacturing industries hit as BAE Systems announces 2,000 jobs losses
BAE Systems the UK’s largest defence contractor; has announced that it is to cut nearly 2,000 jobs in a major blow to the UK’s manufacturing and defence sectors.
The contractor is to cut jobs across five sites over the next three years, including Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire, where the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft assembly takes place.
Jobs will also be cut at Brough in East Yorkshire and at RAF bases in Marham, Norfolk, and Leeming in North Yorkshire. Around 375 proposed redundancies were announced in BAE’s maritime servicing and support business, mainly affecting Portsmouth. Some jobs will also go from the company’s cyber intelligence business unit.
BAE which employs c83,100 people worldwide, including approx 34,600 in the UK is reported to be aiming to achieve the cuts; which are due to be implemented by 1 January 2018 through voluntary redundancies .
BAE Systems, Chief executive Charles Woodburn is reported as saying; “The organisational changes we are announcing today accelerate our evolution to a more streamlined, de-layered organisation, with a sharper competitive edge and a renewed focus on technology. “These actions will further strengthen our company as we deliver our strategy in a changing environment.”
Unite Britain’s largest union; has said that it intends to fight what it has called a “devastatingly short-sighted” decision. The union had called on the UK government to save jobs prior to the announcement. It is understood that the union is considering all options, including industrial action.
Acknowledgement: Metro News, the Guardian, FT