UNION officials are demanding Airbus does “everything possible” to avoid compulsory job cuts.

It follows an announcement that the wing-making Broughton site is looking to shed about 250 jobs.

The threat follows a suspension in a number of orders for the Hawker Business Jet.

Airbus, which employs 6,000 at Broughton, hopes the cuts will be voluntary redundancies. Most are expected to be agency jobs provided by Blue Arrow managed services.

Unite’s national officer Bernie Hamilton said: “This is the latest indication of how the global downturn is affecting the world economy. Unite is demanding Airbus does everything possible to avoid compulsory cuts for the permanent and agency staff.

“Airbus must keep to their commitments agreed after 9/11 which mean that, before the company considers compulsory redundancies, they must first bring outsourced work in-house, reduce overtime to a minimum and seek volunteers from the entire workforce.

“There are 1,400 temporary workers on the site. We will not allow these workers to be sacrificed.”

In a statement Airbus UK said as part of a review of its business and manpower requirement, it has asked Blue Arrow to look at reducing its complementary labour services at Broughton by about 250.

“It said Airbus, Blue Arrow and Unite were working together to avoid compulsory redundancies “wherever possible”.

“Ongoing discussions on flexibility measures, which began in February, will continue and while this tripartite consultation is underway, including ongoing briefings to Blue Arrow and Airbus employees, there will be no further media statements made.”