230 jobs to go at submarine site

Feb 12 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

BAE Systems plans to axe up to 230 jobs at a submarine site following a review of its business.

The defence firm launched a 90-day consultation with unions over the job cuts at Barrow in Cumbria, saying the move was regrettable.

BAE’s Submarine Solutions division said it had carried out a detailed review of its current and future workload requirements to make sure it had the correct skills and resources while maintaining a competitive cost base.

John Hudson, managing director at 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 have a responsibility to manage our cost base to remain competitive and meet our customers’ future requirements.

“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.”

BAE Systems Submarine Solutions employs around 5,000 people across nine UK locations, constructing the Astute class of nuclear-powered submarines.

Hugh Scullion, general secretary of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), said: “Local talks have been initiated to mitigate the numbers of jobs to be lost and we believe that through volunteers, transfers, retraining, reskilling, and the use of mobility agreements, this will negate the need for compulsory redundancies.

“This is not the time to rid the shipbuilding industry of its skills base.”