UNION members at Cwmbran-based IG Lintels are angry about proposed plans which would lead to 71 job losses.

The company’s owners, Keystone Lintels, are proposing to relocate the firm’s manufacturing and distribution facilities after a strategic review, due to the current downturn in the UK housebuilding sector.

Unite regional officer, Bryan Godsell said members are disappointed and felt betrayed by the company.

He said: “There is no doubt that the Keystone Group, and IG Lintels in particular, as a company are suffering as a result of the current economic climate."

But he said he felt that the Keystone Group had an ambition to own IG Lintels for some time before they bought the company in 2006.

He added: “Keystone will keep the crown jewels, the IG Lintels brand name, while effectively robbing the IG Lintels workforce of their reputation, skills and technical knowledge, which has built up through the endeavours of the workers during the last 30 years.

“Union members at the company in Cwmbran feel betrayed and let down by this proposal. We expect the company to compensate the workers for the loss of their employment through significantly enhanced redundancy compensation because of the time and effort they’ve invested in the company.”

Under the proposals, the sales, finance, administration and technical scheduling departments will all remain on the Avondale Road site, where the company has been based for the past 30 years.

An IG Lintels spokeswoman said: “Whatever the outcome of this review, the IG management team would like to make it clear that the IG brand and product range will be maintained.”