THE jobs of York rail workers may be at risk after Thales revealed it was planning to axe 80 posts nationwide.

The company employs more than 1,000 staff at sites across the country in connection with its transport business, including about 40 people at its project office in York.

A spokeswoman said that as a result of increased cost challenges within its transportation systems business – driven by greater competition, reduced customer budgets, changing skills requirements and changes in some of its key projects – it was proposing to remove up to 80 roles across the UK.

“The announcement commences a period of formal collective consultation with our employee representatives and trade unions, together with individual consultations with all employees at risk of redundancy, which will last for around 60 days,” she said.

“Announcements of this kind are regrettable. We will make every effort to minimise permanent job losses and provide support to those affected.”

She said the York employees were involved in projects such as increasing passenger capacity and re-signalling work.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, described the job losses as “another hammer blow to the UK rail industry.”

He said hundreds had already been lost.

“It makes a mockery of the Government’s claims to be investing in our railways,” he said.

“These are skilled workers who face the prospect of being dumped on the dole because of the shambolic and disjointed management of the UK’s rail infrastructure.”