More than 350 Winnipeg aircraft maintenance workers are facing the axe by next month.

Formerly known as Air Canada Technical Services, Aveos Fleet Performance Inc., is on its way to cut 1,010 maintenance jobs, in a combination of permanent and temporary layoffs that will start in April.

Tony Didoshak, western region General Chairman of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, stated, "Due to reductions and deferrals of scheduled maintenance work on the Air Canada fleet, Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. is set to cut more than 1,000 jobs across the country, with 356 facing the axe in Winnipeg".

"The (aircraft) check program has reduced and they've moved work out of Winnipeg", Didoshak said.

"We bargained to take no (pay) increases and no benefit increases. We bargained to keep the company afloat and the reward everybody gets is that they're going to be laid off. It's kind of a hard pill to swallow".

According to Aveos spokesman Michael Kuhn, "The Company will start lying off workers at the end of April, but plans to recall staff depending on the volume of work that becomes available".

"We plan on bringing the temporary laid-off employees back to work over the course of the next eight months, starting as early as July".