STAFF at Rolls-Royce are to be asked to work two hours a week unpaid in a bid to keep their jobs.

Workers at the Barnoldswick factory are to be consulted on the proposal put forward by union representatives in a bid to prevent compulsory redundancies at the aerospace site.

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Jon Brough, Unite union rep for Barnoldswick, said bosses wanted 120 ‘shop floor’ jobs to go this year - which includes machinists, fitters, inspectors, tool makers and hands-on-roles.

Around 60 positions have already been lost by workers taking voluntary redundancy and other roles within the company.

It is hoped the new move will prevent any further job losses.

At the moment, staff have a 37-hour contract but under the proposals, which will be put to workers this week, they would only get paid for 35.

However they would accrue two hours each week which they could take off in unpaid blocks.

Mr Brough said: “It has been very difficult here at Barnoldswick. Morale is down because of the uncertainty and it has a negative effect on what’s getting done. People are talking amongst themselves and worrying what their future may hold.

“If the guys agreed to the proposal it would give them some certainty, at least for the short term.”

The news comes after shares in Rolls-Royce slumped as much as 10 per cent as the engine-maker issued profits warning and cancelled its share buyback programme.

The company, which employs 1,200 people at Barnoldswick, blamed a number of factors including reduced demand for business jets and weaker sales in its marine market.

Mr Brough said: “Although the share slump has just been announced to shareholders it has been anticipated.

“The sales and operating review board could see the workload was falling away. The major issues are a drop in the marine division failing to get orders - but that doesn’t affect Barnoldswick - and the drop in the sales of mid-sized jet engines.

“Last year we lost around 80 shop floor workers. We are going through negotiations now to get everyone’s feedback during the balloting process.

“We will go to mass meetings this week with the workforce to see if people are prepared to take a drop in pay to keep their jobs.

“I have spoken with employee representatives and we will recommend it to the shop floor. The first meeting is tonight (Wednesday) and it will run over five meetings during the day and evenings to reach all staff on different shift patterns.

“We are hoping there won’t be any compulsory redundancies.

“Hopefully by Thursday we will have a good indication whether that has been accepted.”

Managers have also undergone a restructure resulting in a loss of 11 positions.

Mr Brough said: “As new technologies are introduced they are always more efficient and less people are needed to operate them. I can see a continuing decline in the number of people in Barnoldswick but over a large enough time it might be achieved through natural wastage.”

Andrew Stephenson MP said he had been in talks with the management and union reps at the firm and both supported the latest move.

He said: “Both Jon and I are concerned about RollsRoyce at the moment and the job losses which are deeply regrettable when the company has such a strong order book. We are working together to see what options there are and to ensure that the site is receiving a fair share of the work.

“We want jobs protected and skilled workers kept in Barnoldswick.

“The aerospace sector is a very competitive sector.

“It’s quite clear that the senior management and the union reps are trying their best to secure jobs and the long term future of employment in Barnoldswick.”