Threat of forced job losses at BAe

Compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out for Chadderton workers as BAe Systems sheds staff at its military sites.

The company has been cutting 2,447 jobs at nine sites since September last year, including 105 at Chadderton, following the Government’s Strategic Defence Review.

It believes 2,000 people will go voluntarily or through relocations.

But 450 of them are now going to be compulsory redundancies, reports say, although the company would not confirm where the axe will fall.

The Chadderton site now has only around 300 jobs, and insiders believe the 105 redundancies are impossible to achieve on a voluntary basis.

A company spokesman said there is no immediate requirement for compulsory redundancies at Chadderton — but he could not rule them out either: “We never say never.”

He added: “We have been working closely with employees and their representatives at each of our locations to explore ways of mitigating the potential job losses.

“Consultation with employees and trade union representatives will continue to find further opportunities to mitigate the job losses and deliver the best possible outcome for our people and the business.”