An independent poll of over 25,000 people shows massive support for Bombardier, and ‘shames the Tory-led government’, as thousands prepare to march in support of Britain’s last train maker today (Saturday 23 July 2011).
An overwhelming 88% believed that the government should rethink its decision to exclude Bombardier, from the Thameslink contract and a further 95% of respondents believed that the government should actively support UK manufacturing jobs.
Unite assistant general secretary, Diana Holland said:
“This is a wake-up call for the government. It’s time to face facts and admit excluding Bombardier from the Thameslink contract is disastrous.
“1,400 people will lose their jobs and Bombardier’s future is at risk. There is still time for a rethink to save Britain’s last train maker and reverse this colossal error of judgement.
“The people of this country, politicians from all the main parties and the media believe that the Government should act to save Bombardier.
“Today, thousands of people will make their message loud and clear – support Bombardier, support Derby, support British manufacturing.”
Unite, Britain’s biggest union is leading the march and rally in Derby, the home of Bombardier which also has the highest concentration of companies manufacturing train components in Europe. Thousands are expected to attend.
Last month, the government announced that the consortium led by Siemens had beaten Bombardier Transportation’s consortium to be the preferred bidder for the 1,200 new carriage contract on the Thameslink route.
Bombardier remains the reserve bidder for the contract.
As a result 1,400 workers face redundancy and the future of Bombardier, the UK’s last train maker is at risk.
Please dont give Bombardier the contract. Siemens Desiro is a far superior train than the Aventura. Remember long after all this nonsence about jobs has gone, the trains will last for over 30 years. We certainly dont want to be stuck with the shocking rubbish they make in Derby! Perhaps if management at Bombarider were switched on, they would of diversifed the business, taking on more re-freshment jobs etc and not put all there eggs in one basket. 1,200 jobs would of been lost, even if Thameslink was won. Thus, i am growing tired of all this, i am starting to look forward to future contracts for more trains. A third of the British fleet needs replacing by 2020…So i think Bombardier wont be leaving the UK sohow!
After travelling every day on a 185 for the past 3 years I’m not sure about the Desiro being a better train (hard to think of a worse one), but you do have a point about Bomabardiers strategy in the UK. They are a global company, if they where that concerned about Derby they could have directed plenty of other contracts to the UK. Instead they seem to be using their employees as pawns to emotionally blackmail the UK government into handing them contracts on a plate. The unions being thick and stupid of course have fallen for it hook line and sinker.