A Derby-based engine maker company, Rolls-Royce, Wednesday, said it plans to cut some 9,000 jobs globally as it grapples with the collapse in air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company boasts of 52,000 employees and didn’t clearly state which region of the country would be the worst hit. The company CEO Warren East said most of the cuts will take place in the civil aerospace business, where two-thirds of U.K. employees work. Meanwhile, negotiations are almost set to begin with unions.

He further said, “being told that there is no longer a job for you is a terrible prospect and it is especially hard when all of us take so much pride in working for Rolls-Royce.’’ “But we must make difficult decisions to see our business through these unprecedented times.”

“This is not a crisis of our making. But it is the crisis that we face and we must deal with it,’’ East said. “Our airline customers and air-frame partners are having to adapt and so must we.’’

However, the company immediately came under criticism, since it has furloughed some 4,000 workers under a government program to pay some of the wages of people affected by the crisis. The unions insisted taxpayers deserved a more responsible approach to a national emergency.

DETAILS: https://theupdates.net/rolls-royce-to-downsize-by-9000-jobs-as-aviation-reels/