Unions have reacted with dismay today after news that aerospace giant Airbus is set to axe around 250 jobs at one of its UK factories.

Talks were being held today, but it is understood that the jobs will be cut at the firm's plant in Broughton, North Wales.

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 that 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."

Airbus employs about 5,000 people at Filton in Bristol.

North-east Wales has been badly hit by the recession in recent months, with jobs being axed by Corus at Shotton and by Toyota on Deeside.