RAIL UNION RMT today slammed the hypocrisy of rail freight company DB Schenker and the government over their warm words on green jobs and the future of rail as final preparations are made to close the flagship European-hub freight depot at Trafford Park this Saturday with the loss of nearly 20 jobs.
A similar plan by DB Schenker will also see the axing of all 44 jobs at their Falkland freight depot in Scotland with the operational closure of that site as well.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said today:
"DB Schenker are trying to claim that they are mothballing the Trafford Park and Falkland depots but that's just pure media spin. If you sack the entire workforce and stop running trains in and out of a freight depot then as far as we are concerned that depot is closed and that's a cold, hard fact.
"With today's unemployment figures showing that there are still two and half million people unemployed with the jobless claimant count at a thirteen year high, the axing of these two depots, with the loss of over sixty jobs in total, is a massive kick in the teeth for the rail freight industry in the UK and is a bitter blow for both the North West and Scotland.
"These plans also make a mockery of the government's green agenda to maximise the use of rail for freight transportation.
"RMT is looking at the full range of options for a renewed campaign to defend rail freight as part of our overall fight to stop the jobs cull on the railways."
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