UNION leaders are seeking urgent talks with an electronics firm after it emerged that it was considering axing thousands of jobs, including 1,000 in Durham.

In a leaked document, LG Philips reveals that it is considering closing four factories in Durham, Washington, Tyne and Wear; Blackburn, and Newport, in South Wales, with the loss of 3,000 jobs.

The move would enable it to save money by switching the production of tubes for televisions and other monitors to cheaper countries in eastern Europe.

Danny Carrigan, national officer of Amicus, who has seen the document, has written to the company asking it to make its intentions clear.

He said: "I genuinely hope that this is theoretical but I have my doubts.

"We have been involved with the company for more than 20 years and they have gone to eastern Europe in a number of areas.

"I think the company owes it to the employees to tell them what lies in store for them in the future."

Mr Carrigan was also planning to raise the issue in an emergency motion at this week's TUC congress in Blackpool.

News of the possible redundancies comes after LG Philips announced it was shedding 300 jobs at its Washington plant, earlier this year.

The company said the plant would continue as a centre for research and development with a workforce of 120, and it was thought that the 1,000 jobs at the Durham plant were safe.

Carol McFarlane, an Amicus regional organiser, said staff would be worried by the latest news.

But she said: "I spoke to the company yesterday and they have confirmed that the situation as they know it is still the same, and we are hoping that's the case."

A spokeswoman for LG Philips said: "I regret any confusion that has been caused by the unauthorised release of internal discussion documents.

"There are many different scenarios worldwide which are discussed and evaluated to make sure we are competitive, but nothing has been finalised or decided."

The spokeswoman said staff would be the first to hear if any decisions were taken.