UNIONS fighting to save the jobs of hundreds of workers at a Tyneside power generation business have met with management at the plant.

Dave Harrison, regional organiser for the Amicus/AEEU union, representing about 700 staff at Siemens Power Generation in Shields Road, Newcastle met with management to discuss the long-term viability of the site, if 400 jobs are cut as planned.

Mr Harrison said: "We have been given assurances about the future of the business in writing, but we are not yet in a position to accept them.

"We need more detail about the future workload. Our understanding is that it would cease to be a manufacturing site and would instead focus on refurbishment and servicing work."

Siemens management also told Mr Harrison that once the jobs went, the plant would reduce in size to about 40 per cent of its current operation.

Mr Harrison said: "What that basically means is that there is no chance of these manufacturing jobs returning. Siemens has made the decision to move manufacturing to sites elsewhere in Europe, and would not utilise the Newcastle plant for manufacturing, even if the market picks up in the future."

Mr Harrison will put the proposals to a meeting of union representatives next week, before any decision is made about future action.

Mr Harrison said: "No decision has yet been made about any future action by Amicus/AEEU. We have been given assurances by the company, but we remain unconvinced by their arguments.

"We have yet to decide if we believe the company about the future viability of the site, or ballot our members on strike action."

Newcastle East MP Nick Brown was also in his constituency yesterday to discuss the situation with management.