Wabtec proposes 450 job cuts at Doncaster rail factory

Up to 450 jobs are under threat at the Wabtec site in Doncaster

Up to 450 jobs are under threat at a rail refurbishment factory in South Yorkshire, it has been announced.

Wabtec in Doncaster said the proposed cuts, which could see nearly half its workforce axed, were due to a fall in demand for its services.

It said the plans would help secure the future of the factory, on the site where the Flying Scotsman was built.

But the RMT union said the "savage cuts" proposed should be "immediately withdrawn" to allow for discussions.

Under the proposals, which are to be put out to consultation, up to 450 jobs could be lost over several months, starting in August.

A Wabtec spokesman said the firm was "proposing to realign the site to focus on projects best suited for its operational strengths and better position the facility for long-term success".

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: "The fact that these savage cuts have been smuggled out under the cloak of the Covid-19 crisis is a disgraceful way to act."

He called for the firm to halt its plans and enter discussions "on how we protect these skilled engineering jobs before they are lost for good".