Pioneer to slash 10,000 more jobs

Electronics giant Pioneer today warned of UK job losses under plans to slash 10,000 roles globally as it suffers widening losses.

The Japanese company confirmed it was looking to axe 6,000 full-time staff and 4,000 temporary workers worldwide, although it only employs around 300 people in the UK.

It is unclear at this stage how many UK staff will be affected, but Pioneer said there would be British job casualties.

Pioneer already shed 5,900 jobs last year and announced in September it was closing its sole UK manufacturing site in Castleford, west Yorkshire, with the loss of 226 staff.

Pioneer also has a UK head office in Stoke Poges, Slough - where it employs around 110 people - in addition to its soon-to-close factory in Castleford.

The jobs blow comes as Pioneer reported pre-tax losses of 20.95 billion yen (£163.5 million) for the final three months of 2008 and said it now expected to report an annual net loss of 130 billion yen (£1bn).

It also confirmed the closure of its loss-making flat-screen television business, and plans to close 10 of its 30 global factories overall.