BAE Systems has announced it will cut 230 jobs at a submarine shipyard.
The news comes as the defence firm decided to slow down construction work on the new Astute-class submarines it builds at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.
The latest cuts take BAE’s total jobs cull to 2,500.
John Hudson, managing director of BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, said: “These steps are regrettable but necessary to ensure a sustainable business, thereby allowing the company to deliver to the customer in line with their expectations of value and schedule.
“We will work with our employees and their representatives to explore ways of mitigating these potential job losses and we will ensure employees are fully supported throughout this process.”
Submarine Solutions employs around 5,000 people across nine UK locations, while BAE employs about 32,000 people in the UK, the Guardian has reported.
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Unite national officer, Bernie Hamilton, said: “This is an extremely disappointing decision. BAE systems cannot afford to lose out on any of the skills these workers possess.
“The company must now work with the unions to ensure that there are no compulsory redundancies, not just for the security of the staff affected, but for to the good of the company’s knowledge base and the UK’s manufacturing capability.”
