WORKERS fighting redundancies at RAF Lyneham's largest contractor will be boosted by a visit from a leading trade union representative.

At the end of July, Babcocks/HCS proposed 31 redundancies.

The workers' trade unions have continued negotiations with the company, but the final number of redundancies has yet to be announced.

The national officer of the Transport And General Workers Union, Jack Dromey, will visit RAF Lyneham on Wednesday.

He will meet with the management of Babcocks/HCS as part of his union's campaign against the closure of the airbase. It is set to close in 2012.

The TGWU's regional industrial organiser Terry Woodhouse said: "Hopefully he will have a chance to speak to the station's commander to get some feedback as part of the campaign against the base's closure."

The union represents more than 60 workers at the company, mainly drivers and cleaners.

Babcock/HCS employs 279 workers and supplies the RAF base with skilled personnel who provide a host of services, including the maintenance of air propulsion units on aircraft.

Following news of the gradual shutdown of the base last month, the Babcock workers thought their jobs were safe until the J Fleet of Hercules were moved to Brize Norton in 2007.

But less than a week after the decision to close RAF Lyneham was announced, workers were told redundancies were imminent.

Babcock/HCS press spokesman Robin Ashby said the number of redundancies was not finalised but could range between ten and 30.