Bombardier in Belfast brings forward 95 redundancies

Ninety-five jobs are likely to be impacted, according to information provided to its workforce

Bombardier in Belfast is bringing forward almost 100 redundancies it had previously planned to make in 2017.

Ninety-five jobs are likely to be impacted, according to information provided to its workforce.

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

It is now making more of the cuts this year than initially proposed.

In an workforce update, Bombardier told its staff: "The overall figure of 1,080 has not changed.

"However, we now expect up to another 95 employees will leave this year instead of next.

"We appreciate that this is very difficult time."

'Urgent talks'

This is the second occasion on which the firm has adjusted cuts it first planned to make next year.

Initially, it had proposed 580 this year.

The announcement brings to 735 the number of workers at the former Shorts site who are set to lose their jobs this year, said Davy Thompson of the Unite union.

"Unite is calling for urgent talks with Stormont ministers to discuss what has been an ongoing, consistent theme of closures and redundancies over the past two years.

"We have heard all the nice words from Stormont and can expect more of the same again today, but we continue to wait for them to announce what plans they have to support this vital sector."

Ulster Unionist Steve Aiken said it was "very worrying news".

"We need the executive to finally appreciate the need to have a stand-alone manufacturing strategy for Northern Ireland," he said.

"Action is also long overdue on the unacceptably high energy costs which local manufacturers are struggling with.

"The problem has been clearly identified, but the executive has failed to act."

SDLP MLA Sinead Bradley said people's lives had been "thrown in to chaos" by the news.

She said: "The news coming from Bombardier this morning will be a huge disappointment to the workers there, who have now been told they will be out of work much sooner than they previously thought.

"This is the second time this year that Bombardier have brought forward planned redundancies and I am seeking an urgent meeting with senior management at the company to determine what their future intentions are."