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Workers running out of hope
as plant nears closure date
HOPES FADING ... for Trench UK at Hebburn.
HOPES are fading fast for dozens of jobs at a famous engineering company in South Tyneside.
Trench UK, in South Drive, Hebburn, is set to close after more than 80 years, despite a high-profile campaign to save around 90 jobs at the plant.
Top union officials are set to visit the workforce this month, as numbers start to drain away from the site, formerly the Bushing Company.
German owners Siemens, which made the shock closure announcement in May 2010, says the age of the Hebburn plant is one of the reasons for axing the factory, which makes insulation parts, called bushings.
GMB convenor Derek Foreman, who has worked as a fitter at the Hebburn plant for 34 years, said: “We are down from about 90 to just over 60 staff now.
“Some lads have moved across to Siemens at the other company site in North Farm Road, Hebburn, but the rest of us look set to be made redundant.
“I would say the last bushing will be in the box by June, and that will be the end of the factory.” Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn took the fight to save Trench UK to Westminster, where he pleaded with Prime Minister David Cameron to save the plant, which still enjoyed a healthy order book.
The campaign was also taken up by North East MEP Stephen Hughes, but Siemens pushed ahead with closure.
Mr Foreman added: “Some senior GMB officials are coming into the factory on February 20 to finalise what is happening.
“With South Tyneside having such a high unemployment rate, I cannot see the older workers getting jobs. I should think most of the workforce will be gone by the end of June, with only a skeleton staff in place until the official closure date, in September.”
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Weather for Jarrow
Tuesday 22 May 2012
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Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Sunny spells
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
BoldonLad
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 05:52 PMYes, they may have lost the war, but they have won the peace!
Hebburnman
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 09:42 AMDidn't someone in Germany of great importance say that "we may have lost the war but we will win in commerce" or words to that effect anyway?? Looks like they may have been correct?
wasthatthatguy
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:15 PMIt's a pity, but all part of the demise of British industry. It seems ironic that the countries which lost the Second World War, Germany, Japan, even Italy, have all managed to retain their famous companies.
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