BAE Chadderton closure confirmed

BAE Systems has confirmed the closure of the historic Chadderton site.

Workers were briefed yesterday by senior management on plans to transfer the remaining 161 jobs to Salmesbury by the end of March next year.

An official statement released immediately after the briefing reads: “BAE Systems is proud of its long association with the Chadderton site. However, a significant reduction in the site’s workload means that it is no longer viable for BAE Systems to continue to operate out of the site.

“We can confirm that we have announced today the start of consultation regarding the proposal to transfer all the ongoing businesses from our Chadderton site to our Salmesbury site progressively between September, 2011, and March, 2012. Full support to our customers will be maintained.”

However, should Salmesbury not be able to accommodate all the Chadderton workers — in terms of space not jobs — then there will be some redundancies.

It is anticipated that some workers will take voluntary redundancy but until the statutory 90-day consultation period — which officially began yesterday — has expired the company will not be able to make this assessment.

Meanwhile it was business as usual for workers at the site as they adjusted to the news.

One worker said: “We knew it was coming but it is very sad day. People are quite downhearted.”

He went on to say that as yet there has been ‘no promise’ of a job at another location.

But another worker, who has been with the firm in Chadderton for 25 years, was more positive.

He said: “It is upsetting to be leaving Chadderton after all these years.

“It’s been suggested all the way through that this is an important option and the company operates UK-wide, so there are other opportunities.”

He said he would consider moving to another site should he be given the chance adding: “As upsetting as it is, it’s a gateway to focus your mind on what to do next and look at your options more closely.

“For years they’ve always managed to do what they needed to without bad behaviour or negative feeling.”