Shropshire trade unionists say DSG sell-off will put soldiers' lives at risk
Shropshire trade unionists are angry at the government’s proposals to sell off Defence Support Group, the Army’s vehicle maintenance and repair workshops, the largest of which is based at Donnington Telford.
At a meeting of Shropshire and Telford Trades Union Council held last night in Wellington, delegates representing workers from across the county heard an update, given by union members from the Donnington site, on the growing campaign to stop the Sell off. Catherine Coggans, secretary of the Trades Council said, “Obviously our members are concerned about the impact a potential sale will have on jobs in the Telford area but delegates became increasingly incensed at the seemingly underhand way Whitehall are going about the sales process”.
William Edmondson said “we all know that the workers at Donnington do a first class job for the taxpayer and our troops, this sale will end up costing the public more money but what has made me really angry is this government’s rush to flog off DSG at all costs, could actually put our soldiers at risk”.
Brett Davis, Unite convenor at Donnington, said “our campaign is really building up momentum around the country” he added, "when we explain to people the importance of what we do and express our concerns at the lack of a proper risk assessment, making sure that our armed forces are not left exposed, the public rightly feel just as angry as the people at tonight’s meeting".
The Trades council pledged to support the Campaign and to write to the Secretary of State for Defence and local MPs, including Ludlow MP Phillip Dunne, minister of Defence Equipment and support.
