Bombardier to cut almost 500 jobs in Northern Ireland
Almost 500 jobs are to be lost at Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier in Northern Ireland.
The company says it needed to continue cutting costs and improve efficiency in order to ensure its long-term competitiveness.
Bombardier is one of the largest employers in the North.
A statement issued by the company said: "Following the global workforce adjustments announced by Bombardier Inc on November 8 2018, we have reviewed our manpower requirements in Belfast and regret to confirm that we must reduce our workforce across the company by 490 employees.
"We acknowledge the impact this will have on our workforce and their families and we continue to explore opportunities to help mitigate the number of compulsory redundancies.
"However, we need to continue to cut costs and improve the efficiency of our operations to help ensure our long-term competitiveness."
The company announced earlier this month that it would be cutting 5,000 jobs globally.
Its workers have faced uncertainty in recent times after threatened US trade tariffs placed a major question mark over aircraft production.
The US relented at the last moment and the jobs were saved, but today's announcement that 490 positions will go will come as a bitter blow.
The posts are expected to be shed in February or March.
Jackie Pollock, Unite union regional secretary for Ireland, said: “Although these jobs will not go until February or March, this announcement is a cruel blow for the Bombardier workforce in the mouth of Christmas.
Unite has feared for some time that Bombardier might be bringing forward large-scale redundancies, but this news exceeds our worst fears.
Bombardier produces the wings for its new aircraft, the C-Series, in Belfast.
