A UNION negotiator has warned of big job losses at the Atomic Weapons Establishment plants at Aldermaston and Burghfield.

Redundancy warning letters were issued last week to 120 staff at the plants, prompting Prospect union negotiator Bob King to express his own fears.

The letters warn employees their jobs are at risk as part of “an organisational review” and that they could be one of 50 people to be axed.

Mr King said: “I would be very surprised if there were no further redundancies, and very surprised if they were not considerable.

“People are nervous, angry, upset and confused at the moment – it is not a happy place.”

Job insecurity has gripped the plants since October when news of potential redundancies surfaced.

Bosses told The Gazette on Friday that the affected departments are corporate assurance, business administration, communications, human resources, IT, knowledge management, security and “certain projects”. It is expected final redundancy letters will be issued within weeks.

AWE managers say the job losses are needed to “meet programme requirements” and insist they will “minimise the need for redundancies”.

But Mr King believes the number of meetings and people consulted signals more job losses are on the cards at the Aldermaston and Burghfield plants, which employ about 4,800 people.

Job security is not the only concern because Mr King said AWE bosses have not explained to staff how their workplace will function after the axe has fallen.

Alan Price, AWE media and publications officer, said the redundancy warning letters are part of the formal implementation of the consultation process, which involves trade unions.

He said: “Staff likely to be affected are being kept fully informed.”

Tadley town and borough councillor David Leeks, who is chairman of the AWE local liaison committee, said the job losses would be a blow for the community.