There are job fears in Somerset as the company decommisioning Hinkley A announced 1,400 to 1,600 job loses across their sites.

There is no clear detail on how many posts could be under threat at Hinkley, however the area's MP says he wants to know as soon as possible just how many people the move could affect.

The company says it is looking for the jobs to go by "voluntary means" and that it is also looking to re-train staff and offer alternative roles to help avoid as many compulsary redundancies as possible.

Magnox currently employs approx. 4,500 people (including contactors, agency staff) across the UK.  The company has briefed staff and are speaking to "key external stakeholders".

Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset said he planned to visit the site “as a matter of urgency.”

“I am saddened but not surprised at the announcement of job losses and I want to know as soon as possible how many people are affected at Hinkley.

“I also want to know ensure those affected receive the best redundancy package available.

”It is very sad news but I don’t think it will affect the completion date.”

The largest union for nuclear industry employees has added its voice to a call for more detail about how nuclear decommissioning company Magnox Ltd plans to cut jobs.

Prospect national secretary Gill Wood said: “While it was inevitable that the workforce would reduce as the decommissioning programme successfully progressed, what is missing from today’s announcement is any detail on how and where these cuts will be implemented across the company’s12 sites between now and September 2016.

“We welcome news that the early round of redundancies will be voluntary, but we still need reassurances that these cuts are really needed so early in the decommissioning plan. We also need to know what the impact will be on the workforce that remains on site, and the safe decommissioning process as a whole.

“Meaningful engagement between the Cavendish Fluor Partnership and the unions has, at times, been lacking in the few months since it was awarded the contract as the parent body organisation. We will be seeking forecasts of the business plans and meaningful consultation as we move into what will be difficult times for our members.”

Magnox Ltd holds the licences for ten Magnox plant sites – Berkeley, Bradwell, Chapelcross, Dungeness A, Hinkley Point A, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Sizewell A, Trawsfynydd and Wylfa – as well as the Harwell and Winfrith research sites.

A spokesperson for Magnox said: "It is important to recognise that Magnox is involved in a programme to decommission and close a number of nuclear sites and that the number of staff employed by Magnox will follow a profile of reducing numbers over the coming years.

"Decisions on resourcing have not been taken lightly and following a review of the requirements for delivering the Magnox closure programme, we have communicated to staff across the organisation that we expect there to be 1,400-1,600 reductions across the 12 sites over the period to September 2016.  This reduction includes staff, agency and contract resource.

"These reductions arise from expected step downs in the Magnox programme at a number of our sites and also as a result of the implementation of a more streamlined operating model to more effectively deliver the decommissioning programme at the 12 Magnox sites. These planned reductions will not impact on our safe and secure delivery of the work programme

"We will seek wherever possible for these reductions to be through voluntary means and we will endeavour to re-train staff in roles where we are currently reliant on agency resources.

"It is our intent to further mitigate the impact of these reductions by offering alternative roles in the wider Cavendish Nuclear/Fluor business and elsewhere through a number of existing mechanisms, including potential opportunities in the wider nuclear sector.

"We will work with the Trades Unions to support our employees and to ensure that changes are managed fairly, with respect for the individuals involved and in a way which makes best use of the important skills the workforce have built up.

 

Hinkley Point A nuclear power station is a decommissioned Magnox Nuclear power station.