300 jobs to go at Belfast plane company

Three hundred jobs are to go at Bombardier Aerospace as a result of a downturn in orders, it was announced today.

Its Canadian parent company is scaling back production rates of Learjet and Challenger business aircraft as the global economic downturn bites.

Bombardier in Belfast said those going are one third of their 900 sub-contractors – mainly working in production areas – and they will leave over the next few months.

The core permanent workforce of 5,300 is unaffected and the company said it still intends to recruit 100 experienced professional and technical permanent staff in the months ahead.

They will work on the design and development of the new Bombardier C Series family of regional jets, for which Belfast will produce the wings.

Bombardier said the cuts were regrettable but were due to “the difficult international economic climate”.

A spokeswoman said: “We value the contribution by these sub-contractors, but unfortunately these steps are necessary to protect our business.

“Our permanent employees are not affected.”

Meanwhile, a Co Antrim engineering company said it is to shed more jobs than originally planned because of a glut of volunteers for redundancy.

Last month FG Wilson, which produces generators, announced 260 of its permanent staff were to be made redundant – but got 90 extra applications for redundancy.

The company, owned by the US giant Caterpillar, said it would accept the majority of the extra applications.

In December it laid off nearly 200 temporary agency staff from its plants in Larne, Monkstown and Springvale in Belfast.