British engine-maker Rolls-Royce said that it would need to lay-off at least 9,000 of its 52,000 staff to make annual cost savings of 1.3bn pounds ($1.59bn) as it seeks to cope with the downturn in air travel caused by the pandemic.
“We are proposing a major reorganisation of our business to adapt to the new level of demand we are seeing from customers,” chief executive Warren East said in a statement.
“As a result, we expect the loss of at least 9,000 roles from our global workforce of 52,000.”
The job losses would mostly take place in its civil aerospace business, the company said, as it started consultations with unions.
