UNION officials and Wirral MPs have expressed concern over plans by civil engineering company Smit Land & Marine to cut 45 jobs.
The company says that, as a result of a restructuring programme, the jobs will be lost at its two sites in Bromborough in February.
Wirral South MP Ben Chapman said: "These redundancies are particularly painful for the people and families concerned, but the company was facing reduced activity and needed to cut costs to remain competitive. I shall be meeting the management to discuss the future of the company and its employees," he told the Globe.
Ted Gilbertson, from the Amalgamated Electrical Engineers' Union, said the news painted a negative picture of Wirral's future: "Throughout 2000, a whole number of companies announced redundancies - Champion Spark Plugs, Cammell Laird and now we have problems at Vauxhalls.
"This announcement, coming on top of the recent redundancies, must be leaving everyone feeling insecure and thinking 'Is my company next?' Land & Marine have always offered steady employment to its employees, and we look to see that there are no more redundancies."
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