UNCERTAINTY remains over the number of job losses to be faced by workers at three of Yeovil's biggest employers.

Last October it was announced that AgustaWestland was to shed up to 375 jobs, weeks after news broke of 132 planned redundancies at BAE Systems in Yeovil and 124 naval job losses at RNAS Yeovilton.

Three months later the actual number of local workers at risk is still to be confirmed.

And there was further bad news on Tuesday when it was announced that an additional 80 personnel are to be made redundant from the Fleet Air Arm, a Navy helicopter branch.

This number will be in addition to the initial 124, with the new job losses to come from the two principal squadron bases at Yeovilton and Culdrose, West Cornwall.

Spokeswoman Carolyn Jones said: "The 80 job cuts are the second and final tranche of redundancies.

"We will be asking for volunteers to apply for redundancy, but if we do not get all volunteers then we will have to look at compulsory."

AgustaWestland, which employs most of its 3,600 UK workers in its Yeovil factory, has opened applications for voluntary redundancies, but this week could not confirm how many would lose their jobs.

Unions have reported 280 voluntary redundancy applications within the firm so far, but not all will be accepted.

A job-matching process, where those in positions at risk can apply for vacancies in other areas of the company, will follow.

In October, the company predicted the axe was more likely to fall in management and corporate function departments, rather than engineering.

It said the cuts were a result of delays in new work coming in from overseas customers.

Spokesman Geoff Russell said: "A number of people have been accepted for voluntary redundancy and left the company at the end of December.

"There is a second group of people who have applied for voluntary redundancy. In the coming weeks the number of positions that will be lost from the different areas of the company will be announced.

"We are halfway through the process, which is due to be completed by the end of March."

An employment centre for workers has been set up on site, offering advice and support.

UNITE union official Joe Conway said he was aware of 280 people applying for redundancy.

He said: "It's going to have a big impact on Yeovil. Next year there will also be the fallout from the council cuts. Yeovil was the last into the recession but might be the last out of it.

"I hate to see people losing their jobs, but the company is trying to do everything it can to accommodate workers.

"It's a work in progress and at its early stages, and the next step is the most difficult.

"My message is to stick together and hopefully we can work to reduce the number of people losing their jobs."

The number of job losses at defence giant BAE Systems is also unclear.

The company announced 3,000 job losses nationwide in September to meet a reduced workload.

A spokesperson said: "The company has been, and continues to be, committed to undertaking meaningful consultation with the employee representative groups.

"The company is committed to, as far as possible, exploring all opportunities to avoid and mitigate the job losses."

Yeovil MP David Laws said he had been working with all three companies to reduce the impact on workers.

He said: "I am still working with BAE Systems to support them in finding as much new work as possible so that the total number of redundancies will be significantly limited in Yeovil."

Jason Livingstone, spokesman for Yeovil Chamber of Trade and Commerce, warned of the knock-on effect for local business generally.

He said: "The reality is that any loss of jobs is bad, whatever way it falls.

"Of course the financial implication is most felt by the families themselves but the employment loss hits the local economy too.

"Whether the job losses are compulsory or voluntary, it makes little difference.

"Yeovil Chamber recognises that the employers are trying to minimise the impact of these redundancies and we thank them for that."