wednesday1 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 This is true and im sure questions will be asked as to why it wasn't the most competitive bid. But when Germany, France and even Japan employ protectionist policies, the question has to be asked why we do not do the same in some cases. 1400 jobs going to the wall plus countless more in the supply chain hardly gives the taxpayer value for money, especially when both companies have proven track records. This isnt about a superior product, it is simply about money. Spot-on. These same ConDems were claiming that we needed to rebalance the economy in favour of more proper business ie manufacturing, then a few days later cancelled the Sheffield Forgemasters loan. All these muppets are bothered about is their fatcat banking friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 It's terrible short sigted Government decisions like this that has over years ruined the prospects of this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosxuk Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Couple of things: 1) Bombardier is a Canadian company, employing a handful of Brits in Derby. Siemens is European company, employing thousands of Brits across their various divisions (many times more than Bombardier). 2) Over 80% of these "job losses" were contracted positions which were ending anyway. When Bombardier gets another order, some of those positions will be re-opened, depending on demand. Those contracters are free to go to work for Siemens or Hitachi, both opening UK train manufacturing plants. 3) A lot of the announcment today is positioning. There is another order of a similar size for Crossrail being placed in the not too distant future. By making these announcements, and concreting it's position as "the only UK train manufacturer", it's challenging the Government to not listen to public opinion when that order is placed. 4) The main problem is not the Thameslink order, but that there has been a drought of orders for rail vehicles for several years now. Luckily for Bombardier, they had several large orders placed just before this drought started, so they've kept busy, but as the orders are completed, they're getting excess manpower. Even if they got both the Thameslink and Crossrail orders today, they would still have to release a large amount of manufacturing capacity as they don't need it until they actually start building the trains, which takes a good couple of years to go from order placed to beginning the fleet construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj.scuba Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Couple of things: 1) Bombardier is a Canadian company, employing a handful of Brits in Derby. Siemens is European company, employing thousands of Brits across their various divisions (many times more than Bombardier). 2) Over 80% of these "job losses" were contracted positions which were ending anyway. When Bombardier gets another order, some of those positions will be re-opened, depending on demand. Those contracters are free to go to work for Siemens or Hitachi, both opening UK train manufacturing plants. 3) A lot of the announcment today is positioning. There is another order of a similar size for Crossrail being placed in the not too distant future. By making these announcements, and concreting it's position as "the only UK train manufacturer", it's challenging the Government to not listen to public opinion when that order is placed. 4) The main problem is not the Thameslink order, but that there has been a drought of orders for rail vehicles for several years now. Luckily for Bombardier, they had several large orders placed just before this drought started, so they've kept busy, but as the orders are completed, they're getting excess manpower. Even if they got both the Thameslink and Crossrail orders today, they would still have to release a large amount of manufacturing capacity as they don't need it until they actually start building the trains, which takes a good couple of years to go from order placed to beginning the fleet construction. Aye but let's not allow facts get in the way of an uninformed prejudiced rant at the 'ConDems'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosxuk Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Aye but let's not allow facts get in the way of an uninformed prejudiced rant at the 'ConDems'. Don't go thinking the current government are somehow innocent in this matter. Them and Labour are as guilty as each other in allowing this situation to develop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Spot-on. These same ConDems were claiming that we needed to rebalance the economy in favour of more proper business ie manufacturing, then a few days later cancelled the Sheffield Forgemasters loan. All these muppets are bothered about is their fatcat banking friends. ^^^ today's instructions to the party faithful from party HQ. Silly name? check Empty economic reference that nobody understands? check Working man division bell? check Manufacturing reference for unions? check Misrepresenting historic facts? check U-turn accusation? check Bankers? check Friends in low places? check Let's be straight, this contract was awarded under procedures and rules that have been in place for a very long time and the deal has been under negotiation for years. If any government is to blame (which none are) then it's the last one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Oh sorry, I forgot, the coalition government are responsible for the recession, they regulated the banks and it was they who persuaded Gordon Brown to create quango after quango. And I didn't grasp at one single straw, have you thought of another name for your right hand yet? The coalition are not responsible for the recession. That dubious pleasure is down to the UK government of 1980 that freed up unlimited credit through dodgy banking practice. In other words, the deregulation of the banking industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wednesday1 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 ^^^ today's instructions to the party faithful from party HQ. Silly name? check Empty economic reference that nobody understands? check Working man division bell? check Manufacturing reference for unions? check Misrepresenting historic facts? check U-turn accusation? check Bankers? check Friends in low places? check Let's be straight, this contract was awarded under procedures and rules that have been in place for a very long time and the deal has been under negotiation for years. If any government is to blame (which none are) then it's the last one. Very good Tone. Is this an example of Smarmy Dave's local jobs for local people, except it's in Germany!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wednesday1 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The coalition are not responsible for the recession. That dubious pleasure is down to the UK government of 1980 that freed up unlimited credit through dodgy banking practice. In other words, the deregulation of the banking industry. The seeds of rot for the demise of Derby as a centre of railway engineering excellence were laid by Thatcher in the '80's when she sold off the then British Rail Engineering, Cameron is administering the last rites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchresearch Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The seeds of rot for the demise of Derby as a centre of railway engineering excellence were laid by Thatcher in the '80's when she sold off the then British Rail Engineering, Cameron is administering the last rites. And which party was in power between Thatcher's and Cameron's? Why didn't they reverse any of these decisions if they were so bad? As for "railway engineering excellence" lets not forget it was locals in Sheffield and members of this forum who orchestrated a campaign to STOP an railway engineering centre in Beighton. So much for "local jobs for local people". That obviously doesn't apply to NIMBYism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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