Bombardier says 630 jobs to be cut in NI in 2016

Bombardier now says 630 jobs will be axed in 2016

Bombardier has adjusted its previously announced job cuts programme in Belfast, with a greater number of redundancies due this year.

The aerospace company said in February that it was axing 1,080 posts over two years, about 20% of its Northern Ireland workforce.

But it now says up to 630 will go in 2016 - as opposed to the 580 stated initially.

Bombardier is cutting 7,000 jobs across its global workforce.

Bombardier operates four locations in Northern Ireland - in east Belfast, Newtownabbey, Dunmurry and Newtownards

A Bombardier spokesperson said: "We have advised our employees that, having reviewed our requirements, regrettably, we need to pull forward some of the workforce reductions.

"We appreciate this is a very difficult time for our workforce and their families and we are doing all we can to mitigate the numbers of compulsory redundancies."

The company has been under severe financial pressure as cost overruns on its new C Series jet have drained cash out of the company.

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The C Series programme received $1bn (almost £700m) from the state government in Quebec last year.

The firm has also been hit by a downturn in the business jet market.

Bombardier is cutting 7,000 jobs across its global workforce

Bombardier is the largest manufacturing employer in Northern Ireland and supports hundreds more jobs through its supply chains.

More than half of the jobs being cut this year come from the firm's "complementary labour force".

That part of the workforce is made up of temporary and contract workers and tends to fluctuate depending on demand.

Late last year the Northern Ireland workforce was asked to accept pay cuts and other changes to terms and conditions with the firm saying it was "in serious financial crisis".

However the proposal was overwhelmingly rejected in a ballot of union members.