MORE that 80 percent of job axed by Airbus in UK are expected to be in North Wales.

According to trade union Unite, 1,432 of the 1,727 UK Airbus job cuts will be at the Broughton site.

The union’s stance following the “desperate news” on Thursday, July 2 is to not accept compulsory redundancies at the Flintshire site, which employs thousands across North Wales and the North West.

Peter Hughes, Unite Wales regional secretary, said: “The level of job losses planned for Broughton are far larger than we originally anticipated and can only bring into crystal clear focus how urgent the need for UK Government intervention now is.

“Welsh Government have committed to doing everything they can, but the financial intervention that is now required to support jobs at Broughton can only come from Westminster.”

A group of North Wales MPs have made a joint pledge to “continue to work closely with the company, trade unions and both the UK and Welsh Governments to do everything we can to support Airbus’ workers, their families and the wider community.

The group includes Aberconwy MP Robin Millar, Clwyd West MP David Jones, Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies, Ynys Mon MP Virginia Crosbie and Clwyd South South MP Simon Baynes. It also includes Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton and Delyn MP Rob Roberts.

A spokesperson for the North Wales Conservative MPs said “We were devastated to hear that more than 1,400 of the 1,730 jobs being lost nationally would be from Broughton which has been such a key part of life and the economy of North East Wales for so long.

"The UK Government has already provided £6billion in specific support for the aerospace sector which is welcome and much-needed however Conservative MPs across North Wales will continue to do all we can to save as many of these skilled jobs as possible.

"We are meeting with ministers and officials from both BEIS and the Treasury on a daily basis to discuss plans and options to seek to reduce the number of jobs at risk.”

The proposed cuts are part of about 15,000 jobs expected to be cut globally.

Mr Hughes added:”Be in no doubt the governments of France and Germany are already acting to support their aerospace workers. If the UK Government does not do the same then our countries position as a world leader in the aerospace sector will be consigned to history.”

The Government's investment in the sector includes the 'Wing of Tomorrow' programme aimed at securing future wing work at Broughton, as well as discussing a range of new future 'green aviation' projects which will help to anchor work in the UK.

Daz Reynolds, Unite convenor at Airbus Broughton said: “Our members at Broughton are devastated to hear of the scale of the job losses for our site. We are a world class workforce who have built up Broughton to be one of the best manufacturing sites in Europe.

“The workforce recognises the enormous challenges facing Airbus and are prepared to look at every avenue available to mitigate the proposed job losses.”