WORKERS at the Perkins engineering company in Peterborough agreed to a four-hour reduction in their working week in a bid to stave off job cuts. Hourly-paid workers will see their week cut from 39 hours to 35 hours after 78% of them voted for the move.

A spokesman for the company said: “We are pleased that the constructive dialogue between hourly-paid employees, their representatives and Perkins’ leadership at Peterborough has led to this outcome. While these actions are difficult, we must make decisions that are in the long-term interests of our business. The working pattern will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.”

Tony Ellingford, regional officer for Unite, the workers’ union, welcomed the move. “It’s better than people losing their jobs,” he said.