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PM joins fight to save 100 jobs

PRIME Minister David Cameron is backing a fight to save almost 100 jobs at an embattled North East manufacturing plant.

Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn met with Cameron at Downing Street earlier this week over plans to close Trench UK in Hebburn, South Tyneside.

The Siemens subsidiary wants to shut the South Drive site and transfer work to Germany and France, with the loss of 96 jobs.

However, workers are battling the proposals, pointing out that Trench UK is a profitable company with a healthy order book.

Last month the factory announced orders worth £6.4m for June alone – a record in the 81-year-old plant’s history.

A delegation of Hebburn workers travelled to London on Wednesday to meet with Mr Hepburn who then put their case forward at a one-to-one meeting with David Cameron, according to reports.

GMB union convenor Paul Wiberg, who travelled to the capital this week, said: “The Prime Minister told Stephen Hepburn he was prepared to take up the case.

“He said he was going to write a letter to Siemens asking why Trench UK is being targeted. We didn’t get to speak to David Cameron, but we presented our case to Mr Hepburn before their one-to-one. “We said the problem is not with a UK company but in Germany and France.

“We shouldn’t be seen as a soft touch and our jobs should not go when we are the ones who are making record profits and we the ones with the healthy order book.

“We are over the moon at getting David Cameron’s backing. I called management and the workers after the meeting and everyone is delighted. It’s a great step forward to have the Government behind us.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .