A GROUP of Gwent politicians have ramped up pressure on British Airways to reconsider plans to cut jobs at factories - including one in Blackwood.

The airline has proposed 12,000 redundancies and plans to "fire and re-hire" many other workers, according to the trade union Unite.

A 45-day consultation is under way between BA and its workers at three sites in Wales – at Blackwood, Llantrisant, and Cardiff Airport – and it is feared more than 1,000 jobs are on the line as the airline reacts to the coronavirus crisis.

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A group of 27 Labour MPs from Wales has written to BA's corporate clients like Sony, General Electric, and Siemens, asking them to put pressure on the airline to scrap the plans to cut its workforce.

Islwyn MS Rhianon Passmore, whose Islwyn constituency includes Blackwood, said BA "must reverse their decision".

She added: “High valued, high skilled jobs should not be removed from the Welsh Valleys – once they are gone they rarely return to our hard pressed communities.

"[BA's plan] is in complete contrast to our Welsh Government's industrial strategy. BA have received significant support and public money from Welsh tax payers, and are now reneging on their duty to support Welsh employees, my community of Blackwood and many others across Wales including Llantrisant."

When BA announced the proposals in May, the firm said: "We are acting now to protect as many jobs possible. The airline industry is facing the deepest structural change in its history, as well as facing a severely weakened global economy.

"We are committed to consulting openly with our unions and our people as we prepare for a new future."

But the Unite union said "no other employer has acted like BA during this health crisis".

Unite's Sharon Graham said: "Welsh MPs and members of the Senedd are right to urge BA's clients and customers to ask questions of BA.

"The airline is using the worst health crisis in a century to slash jobs, pay, and conditions."

She added: "Project fire and re-hire will damage the previously trusted BA brand. British Airways is putting its market power, lucrative landing slots, and its loyal customer base at risk by adopting a scorched earth approach.

"There must be consequences to BA’s behaviour."

The co-signatories from Gwent are: Rhianon Passmore MS and Chris Evans MP (Islwyn), John Griffiths MS and Jessica Morden MP (Newport East), Jayne Bryant MS (Newport West), Alun Davies MS (Blaenau Gwent), Lynne Neagle MS (Torfaen), Wayne David MP (Caerphilly).