On Thursday, Ford said it will cut thousands of jobs, look at plant closures and discontinue loss-making vehicle lines as part of a turnaround effort, and would start consultations with unions on the plans.

"Unite is fully committed to opposing any compulsory redundancies and campaigning strongly for Bridgend to have a viable future," Des Quinn, automotive spokesman at Unite, said in a statement.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)