Under-fire bosses at Rolls-Royce came under more pressure today after they axed 220 jobs.
The firm were heavily criticised earlier this month after a Rolls-Royce engine forced an Airbus A480 to make an emergency landing after it exploded mid-flight.
Now Rolls-Royce chiefs have announced 220 jobs will be cut from the gas turbine department at the firm’s plant in Ansty, Coventry.
Workers in Ansty make and repair engines for military aircraft, ships and land vehicles.
Bosses blamed the redundancies on Government cuts to the defence spending budget and falling consumer demand.
But workers fear that there could be a ”domino effect” and the plant – which employs 1,000 staff – and others around the country could soon be closed.
One worker said as he left the factory after the cuts were announced on Thursday afternoon that the news was a ”shock”.
He said: ”The job cuts are a complete shock. We didn’t expect anything like this. It’s just a massive blow to everyone.”
The planned cuts will now be implemented by 2012.
A Rolls Royce spokesman said: ”As a result of reducing customer demand for aero repair and overhaul services at our Ansty facility, we are in dialogue with our employees and their representatives about the need to reduce 220 positions.
”Although this is a difficult process, we are grateful for the continued support of our employees and are seeking to be as flexible as possible in the long term interest of our workforce.”
