Bridgend Ford 1,100 jobs to go says union

Mass meetings will be held at Ford's Bridgend engine plant later amid claims by the Unite union that 1,160 jobs will go by 2021.

Ford has refused to be drawn on the comments - stating jobs would stay at similar levels "in the upcoming years".

A decision to cut investment in a new Dragon engine project was announced in September.

Officials for the First Minister said the union's concerns were "clearly deeply concerning"

"We are actively seeking urgent assurances from Ford - both in the UK and US," said a spokesman.

"We are also speaking to the workforce through the trades unions and offering them every assistance.

"We have worked very closely with Ford over a number of years to secure a future for the Bridgend plant, and we remain committed to supporting these vital manufacturing jobs."

Carwyn Jones is currently in the United States on a trade mission in Washington DC, where a £20m plane engine maintenance contract with GE Aviation for Wales has been unveiled.

The Unite union has called on Ford bosses to produce a five-year plan for the Bridgend factory.

It said meetings being held on Wednesday meant workers were "one step closer to strike action in defence of their jobs".

Unite's Welsh secretary Andy Richards accused Ford bosses of "weasel words" on plans for the future of the factory.

He told BBC Wales: "It's our belief that Ford are going to have to confirm this morning that when the Jaguar engine finishes there in 2020 there is no future business plan for the plant.

"And we believe our concerns are going to be realised - that two-thirds of the plant - that's at least 1,160 jobs will be at risk."

'Stunned'

Madeleine Moon, the MP for Bridgend, told BBC Wales she had spoken to Ford officials on Tuesday, and there had been no mention of job losses.

She said the latest development "has completely blindsided me".

Speaking on Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales, she added: "I am absolutely stunned. As far as I understood Ford were trying to find more work at Bridgend - nothing was said about job losses."

The plant currently makes 250,000 engines a year for Jaguar Land Rover and also 500,000 of Ford's own Sigma engines but it is due to stop producing both in 2018.

Five months ago, Ford announced Dragon production would be cut to 125,000 engines a year and investment would reduce from £181m to £100m.

The Welsh Government promised £15m state aid on the condition 500 jobs would be secured.

Responding to Unite's concerns, Ford said: "We once again reiterated that the anticipated production volume of engines from Bridgend remains healthy in the upcoming years, with associated labour requirements expected to be similar to today's level.

"Bridgend must fulfil its commitment in terms of delivery, quality and cost of the products it manufactures and - just as in the case for every Ford plant around the world - winning new product contracts depends on the plant's efficiency and global competitiveness."

But pressed on the issue of jobs, an official told BBC Wales that they had nothing more to add to their statement.