ONE OF the country’s major trade unions last night reacted to the planned job cuts at BAE Systems, which includes a site in west Fife.

On Thursday, the defence systems firm announced that it will shed 642 jobs at its UK sites, including 52 at Hillend in Fife.

BAE Systems, which employ 3700 workers at 11 UK sites, said the job cuts were due to a downturn in its workload and that the redundancies would take place during the next year.

The jobs under threat are at eight sites in BAE’s Integrated System Technologies Business, which produces surveillance and command systems.

The Hillend site in west Fife has 337 workers and last night, the GMB expressed anger at the proposed announcement and said they will be seeking meetings with management to establish the where the cuts will fall and to minimise the impact on members affected.

Keith Hazlewood, GMB officer for engineering and shipbuilding, said, “This is more bad news for the beleaguered UK engineering sector.

“Any job losses, especially on this scale, are devastating for the industry and the communities where they happen.”

West Fife politicians have expressed their disappointment, with Willie Rennie, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, describing it as “a black day” for the workers at Hillend.

Rory Fisher, Insyte managing director at BAE Systems, said the company will work with employees and their representatives to “explore” ways of “mitigating” the potential job losses.

*One of Dundee’s largest surviving manufacturing firms is to shed almost a third of its workforce.

Bonar Yarns and Fabrics Ltd, which is based in Caldrum Works Factory in St Salvador Street, employs nearly 160 people and 50 of them face losing their jobs.

The company, which makes artificial grass and other synthetic fabrics, is part of Low and Bonar Plc, an international company that used to have its headquarters in Dundee.

Its synthetic grass products have been used for football pitches and tennis courts.

The company even provided the playing surface for Superbowl XL in 2006.

Staff were told about the job cuts on Wednesday.

The first 28 posts will go by mid-February, with more cuts in July and October.

Last week, employees were told that the factory would be closed for four weeks at Christmas.

The factory has shut three times this year to reduce the company’s stock levels.

One employee said workers were angry at the impending job cuts, saying, “It seems strange that they can cut a third of the workforce on the shop floor (and) none from the office where the management are.”

A spokesman for parent company Low and Bonar confirmed that up to 50 job losses could be made.

Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said she would contact the company and staff to discuss the issue.

Bonar Yarns cut more than 30 posts by restructuring in 2006.