Army support group sell-off bid attacked

Shropshire and Telford Trades Union Council members are angry about the Government's proposals to sell off DSG, the army's vehicle maintenance and repair workshops, the largest of which is based at Donnington in Telford.

At a meeting of the council 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."Delegate 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 that 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. 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 the 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 Philip Dunne, minister of defence equipment and support.

The campaign to stop the sell-off of DSG has already received the backing of Telford MP David Wright, who said staff at Donnington had carried out 'fantastic' work in recent years.

DSG, which has bases all over the country, deals with the maintenance of armoured and military vehicles and weapons and communications systems for the armed forces.

No-one from the MOD was available to comment.