Almost 2,000 Scottish workers are waiting to hear what effect the Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham merger will have on their future.

The deal - which will produce the largest pharmaceutical group in the world - is believed to be worth £130bn and both companies have hinted some job losses will be inevitable.

Union officials say it is too early to say what affect the merger will have but they have already described it as "bad news".

Glaxo employs 850 at its manufacturing plant in Montrose and SmithKline Beecham has a staff of 750 in Irvine who make a range of pharmaceuticals, mainly penicillin.

Worldwide cuts likely

Local management at both factories are now waiting to hear what might happen to the production sites and jobs.

They say they have not been told how the deal will affect them.

However, it is feared that 15,000 jobs will go worldwide, out of a total workforce of just over 100,000.

Union chiefs in Montrose are hopeful though that the cuts will not fall at their factory.

They say it is regarded as the most efficient factory in the Glaxo operation and its levels of efficiency will stand it in good stead for the future.

The headquarters of the new group, to be called Glaxo SmithKline, will be in London but there will be a new operational base in the United States.

Top jobs

It will be headed by Jean-Pierre Garnier, currently number two at SmithKline, who takes the role of chief executive while Glaxo head Sir Richard Sykes is to be non-executive chairman.

The merger is expected to be completed in the summer of this year. It is unlikely to face any regulatory obstacles.

Fears about job cuts had already prompted the MSF union to ask for a meeting with company chief executives and Trade and Industry Minister Lord Sainsbury on 26 February.