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Siemens blasted for potential closure of Hebburn site

GLOBAL engineers and technology firm Siemens have been blasted by a trade union over the transfer of 90 jobs from Hebburn to Germany along with a full order book.

GMB will now campaign against the job switch from the region - which could result in the full closure of the South Tyneside plant.

Siemens own Trench UK which makes high-voltage electrical equipment and employs approximately 90 workers.

Siemens have announced that they will close the plant in September 2012, with the Plant being run down from January 2012.

Negotiations are on-going in relation to redundancy terms with Trade Union representatives.

Chris Preston, GMB Regional Organiser for Trench UK said: “GMB members are particularly aggrieved that Siemens are repatriating work back to Germany, as Siemens have a very large factory in Germany which is running well below capacity.

“This is a clear and blatant case of Siemens in Germany looking after their own.”

Last week the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that immigration in Germany had not produced a multi cultural society, although the country was among the pioneers of closer European integration.

GMB have said Siemens are giving credence to the comments and are in breach of EU guidelines and the “spirit of Pan European co-operation.”

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