HUNDREDS of Hastings Deering workers in Rockhampton are on edge as the company looks to cut 400 jobs across its Queensland workforce.

While the company issued a statement yesterday confirming the cuts were due to "challenging market conditions", it did not detail impacts on individual sites.

CFMEU Mackay district vice president Steve Pierce said the bulk were expected to come from the Rockhampton and Mackay.

A former employee who yesterday contacted The Morning Bulletin said staff at the Port Curtis site had told him they'd been advised 65 jobs would go locally. However, he said, it wouldn't be known who the 65 were until mid-August.

The company last year cut 200 positions across the state with 45 from Rockhampton.

Rockhampton region AMWU organiser Peter Lyon said union officials were in discussions with company management.

"It's going to be terrible for affected workers," he said.

The Hastings statement said: "Hastings Deering has implemented a series of efficiency and productivity initiatives over the past 12 months in an effort to streamline its cost base, but these measures alone have not been sufficient in view of continuing challenging market conditions.

"Customers can expect business as usual from Hastings Deering during this time."

Member for Keppel Bruce Young said any loss of jobs in the region was concerning and Hastings' position reflected the serious financial challenges those servicing mining companies faced.

Its thought up to 900 staff work at Hastings Deering in Rockhampton.