SAVE BOMBARDIER JOBS!

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: october 2011 :: RMTnews 14 How determined are we Derby people to help stop the destruction of Bombardier jobs and skills, and the end of train building in Britain? The local campaign started well with the massive petition of over 50,000 signatures presented to Parliament and a spirited and determined demonstration of over 10,000 people, cheering on speakers expressing a determination not just to protest but to fight all the way. The Bombardier unions, the local paper, the trades-union council, local MPs and a newly formed community support group have worked hard to prevent the government from sweeping its destructive intent under the carpet and finally getting Transport Secretary Philip Hammond to admit that it is within the government’s power to reverse the decision to give the contract to Siemens. But has the government listened? It promised a smear of “jam tomorrow” with suggestions of possible future small contracts, but to continue to apply European Union procurement ‘rules’ and to serve the interests of the powerful banks, whose manipulative “credit rating” system guaranteed that Siemens’ financial backers could deliver the job cheaper than Bombardier’s - even though the quality and technical base of their work could not match the Derby-based company. The process is already underway of throwing 1,400 Bombardier workers on the dole, and undermining the jobs of many thousand more workers in the supply chain. So what are we to do? Of course we need to continue to lobby and argue, even though we have had the “deaf ear” turned consistently in our direction. But we need to do more. The government anticipated opposition when it made their outrageous decision. But it wants that opposition confined to safe areas - the established political processes that they control. We can campaign and protest as much as we like - providing we do it on their terms. So let’s think again. What SAVE BOMBARDIER JOBS! Bill Greenshields of Derby Trades Council calls for a mass mobilisation in Derby on November 3 to save train manufacturing in Britain