Bombardier unions to meet minister Philip Hammond

Unions representing workers at the UK's last train builder are set to have a meeting with ministers to urge a crucial contract be reconsidered.

Derby-based Bombardier has said it will shed 1,400 staff after missing out on the £1.4bn Thameslink contract.
Unite and the RMT have said they will underline to Transport Secretary Philip Hammond the impact on the area and the wider UK manufacturing industry.
The government has already said it is legally bound to uphold the decision.
Last month, the government awarded the contract to build new carriages for the rail route, between Bedford and Brighton, to German giant Siemens.
'Jobs massacre' At the beginning of July, Bombardier announced plans to cut 446 permanent jobs and 983 temporary contract staff.
Unite assistant general secretary, Diana Holland, said: "The weight of public opinion is on the side of Bombardier and against the Government's short-sighted decision.
"Politicians, the public and the media are equally shocked by the Government's decision not to award Bombardier the Thameslink contract.
"The Government must re-think its disastrous decision and support British manufacturing and skilled jobs."
The RMT will present the minister with a dossier on the history of the global activities of Siemens and will call for an investigation into whether the company is "fit and proper".
General secretary Bob Crow said: "We will be calling on Phillip Hammond to call off the jobs massacre at Bombardier, and the destruction of the UK train building industry, and to take full account of the barrage of new evidence that has been uncovered since this process began.
"The fight to save train building in the nation that gave the railways to the world remains well and truly on."

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