A UNION has started talks with management in the hope of reducing big job losses at a North-East electronics plant.

LG Philips Displays, a joint venture by Dutch company Philips and Korean-based LG, has announced it will stop the production of deflection yokes, a device fitted to television tubes, at its factory in Washington, Wearside, later this year.

The company plans to sub-contract the work to Belgian firm Punch International's plant in Slovakia.

The move will mean the loss of 300 jobs, but the 32-year-old Washington site will continue with a workforce of 120, concentrating on research and development.

The workers' union, Amicus, hopes that some of the jobs due to be axed can be saved and is trying to persuade the company to transfer some of the employees to its TV tube plant at Durham.

The firm said the move to Slovakia was needed to reduce its costs, but the union has described it as a big blow to North-East manufacturing.

Amicus regional organiser Carol McFarlane expects talks to go on for some time and will be suggesting transfers to Durham.

Durham employs about 1,000 people and the union believes the plant is not at risk.

The first redundancies at Washington will take place in the summer.

The company is offering counselling and help in finding other jobs to the workers it is shedding.