FG Wilson workers in Larne were shell-shocked yesterday at news that 138 of them were to be made redundant.

The majority did not want to talk about it, a total of 260 jobs being cut across the American-owned company’s three sites in Northern Ireland.

Many had thought permanent jobs would be safe, even if agency workers had to be culled again, as before Christmas, when 160 were laid off, but it wasn’t to be.

A letter to payroll employees, seen by the Belfast Telegraph, said “austerity measures” like minimising shift working and releasing agency workers had been taken, but had not been enough to escape the economic gloom.

“Unfortunately, the economic downturn is continuing and we have no choice but to continue to take cost reduction actions,” the letter read.

“One of these will be to reduce permanent jobs across all our sites in Northern Ireland? We regret this action is necessary — however, it is ultimately in the long-term interest of our business.”

At lunch-time, three fitters had gathered outside the nearby Maxol station, to smoke cigarettes, digest their lunch — and the bad news.

One had worked at FG Wilson’s for five years after a stint on the shipyard and was unsettled at the prospect of being out of work. “My wife doesn’t work either, and we own a house and have a mortgage to pay,” he said.

He said he wasn’t a member of a trade union, saying he “didn’t have faith in them” and didn’t think they would help his present situation.

Together, the men explained how events had unfolded on the factory floor that morning.

“The foreman called us in this morning and said that roughly 10% of the workforce would be going. I don’t know what he was thinking — probably that he could be going himself.”

“I know they got rid of some temps before Christmas, but we all thought the permanent staff would be ok,” said one, summing up the bewilderment felt by most.