DB Cargo UK is to cut around a third of its workforce as part of a restructure prompted by the declining coal market.
DB, which is the largest UK rail freight company, will cut 893 jobs in total. ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite have all been in discussions with the business about the planned cut since October last year.
The business said it has now reached successful agreements with the four unions. Following this, the company will launch its new business model on 2nd July 2017.
It said the working arrangements of employees will be “updated and modernised”.
“I would like to thank ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite for their continued dialogue with us,” said CEO of DB Cargo UK, Hans-Georg Werner. “Under the pressures of the market we were able to find agreements acceptable to all parties and avoid industrial action.
“We regret that some colleagues will be leaving us but treating our people fairly to secure a business that will be successful in the future has been at the heart of our discussions.
“We will now move forward with our plans to lead the next generation of rail freight which includes key investments such as new wagons, terminal enhancements and combining our core function of delivering goods by rail with bespoke in-house IT solutions, to give our customers the best service and make it easy for them to do business with us.”
