Shorts: Job losses not linked to Mexican expansion

Aerospace company Shorts insisted tonight there was no connection between nearly 650 jobs losses and a decision by Canadian parent to expand its workforce in Mexico.

Montreal-based Bombardier yesterday announced 645 job losses in Belfast in the New Year and a similar number in Canada because of poor orders for its range of 70-90 seater regional jets.

In a statement the company said: “There is absolutely no connection between the expansion in the Mexico plant and the announcment yesterday of the reduction of manpower levels in Belfast and Montreal.

“The reductions in Belfast and Montreal are as a direct result of the adjustment to the CRJ700/CRJ900 aircraft production rate to reflect current demand.”

While Shorts make the fuselage, engine nacelles and wing parts for the range of jets, the Mexican plant makes electrical components.

Meanwhile trade unions expressed fears about the long-term future of the east Belfast plant after the latest job cuts announcment – employment has dropped from nearly 8,000 to 5,300 since 2001.

Talks between management and unions got under way today amid efforts to limit the job cuts as much as possible by bringing back in-house as much contracted out work as possible.

Last year 230 planned job cuts did not take effect after a similar exercise.

But Peter Williamson of the Amicus union said there were widespread fears at the latest announcement.

“There is great concern among the employees that the future of the company is not secure and our position is that we will press Bombardier and the Government,” he said.

Mr Williamson added that during talks today the company management had agreed to host a formal meeting with the workforce tomorrow to detail the current order book and how they arrived at the total of 645 job losses.

Northern Ireland economy minister Maria Eagle last week visited Bombardier senior management in Montreal during a trade mission and has faced questions over whether she had advance notice of the redundancies – she insists not.

The company tonight backed her, saying it had been publicly saying for months its production rates were under review but that the decision to make the cuts was not taken until Monday evening.

“Bombardier must comply with legislation , and in accordance with that legislation, on Tuesday 24 October, Bombardier informed the stock exchange and subsequently its employees and the news wires of the decision,” said the statement.