BOSSES at Pork Farm Bowyers are flying in 50 Portuguese workers to fill empty production posts despite announcing seven engineers will lose their jobs.

Workers at the Trowbridge factory are fuming at news of the redundancies, which come at a time when company bosses admit they are using foreign workers to fill empty positions.

Engineers believe the redundancies are part of a cost-cutting drive designed to boost flagging profits and are furious at the company's new foreign policy.

Workers are being flown in to the UK from Portugal through a national agency because the company cannot find enough people in Wiltshire to cover its June to Christmas peak period.

One livid engineer, who didn't want to be named, said: "This policy makes us feel terrible. They are cutting back in our department and flying in people from abroad. It is very bad for morale."

Managers have been in round-the-table talks with representatives from trade union Amicus which represents all 42 engineers at the Stallard Street plant.

Amicus representative Jeffrey Eades said morale in the department was at an all-time low with workers fearing their job could be next. "This is very much a surprise," he said. "This is not about an efficiency drive it is purely cost-cutting.

"The review was completely out of the blue. We never had an inkling.

"The morale is as low as low can be. You get to the stage of asking yourself where is it going to end? In two years time will I still have a job? Will the company be here?"

Engineers will be offered voluntary redundancy packages but even if enough workers choose to leave, the company can still pick who goes under strict selection guidelines.

Four engineers were made redundant last year, making it 11 positions axed within two years.

Personnel manager Alan Hinett said the cuts would save money with a department review revealing the firm could operate with fewer engineers.

The manager said 25 Portuguese workers have already started in production departments with 25 more flying into the UK last week.

The families are being set-up in accommodation within Trow-bridge and are paid wages through recruitment agency ICDS, who fly over foreign workers to help companies meet demand.

Mr Hinett said the workers were needed for the company to meet production targets.

He said: "We have found it very, very difficult in the past two years getting enough people in the local area.

"I can understand the morale is low but skilled engineers are a completely different kettle of fish to unskilled labour.

"We are bringing in the Portuguese workers in batches.

"The second batch arrived in Trowbridge last week."

Bowyers employ up to 300 extra people every year for the peak six-month period.