16 DB Cargo UK drivers switching to rival after contract loss results in surplus

Sixteen DB Cargo UK drivers have agreed to join GB Railfreight after the operator asked for volunteers to consider switching.

DB Cargo, along with Freightliner and DRS, lost its share of the Network Rail seasonal contract in April, which from August will be solely in the hands of GBRf and Colas.

The loss of the seasonal work created surpluses of DB Cargo drivers in Hampshire (Eastleigh), North Kent (Hither Green & Hoo Junction), North West (Warrington), Scotland (Millerhill & Mossend) and South Cheshire (Crewe).

The total number of surplus drivers stood at 36, with drivers’ union ASLEF worried that affected members would not be able to relocate.

Meanwhile GBRf had up to 22 vacancies, including nine in the North West, five in Scotland and two in South Cheshire.

DBC had asked drivers in late April to volunteer to switch under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations) process (TUPE), giving them until mid-May to respond.

Drivers were told: “GBRf have confirmed they will honour all of your current terms and conditions of employment in the event you transfer to them.

“They have also confirmed you would transfer with continuous service from DBCUK to GBRf. ‘Continuous service’ is defined as railway service with DBCUK and its predecessor companies.”

RAIL has now been told that ten North West-based DBC drivers have agreed to transfer, with GBRf honouring DBC’s terms and conditions. Six have already moved across with the other four set to join on July 20.

Six more have chosen to leave DBC for GBRf in Scotland in moves that subvert the TUPE process.

No more drivers are expected to make the switch as part of the TUPE process.

ASLEF’s assistant general secretary Simon Weller told RAIL the union hopes to cover the remaining drivers by transferring work and had done a lot of work with DB Cargo to safeguard jobs.

“It looks like we’ve managed it, yet again,” Weller said to RAIL.

DBC has been looking for ways to mitigate the impact of the loss of the Network Rail season contract.

In an update to staff in May, Chief Executive Andrea Rossi said the firm had been “negotiating with GBRf and Colas with a view to hiring out some of our Class 66 locomotives over the coming autumn season to assist them with their seasonal work”.

He added: “We have already been successful in generating a significant new work bank of possession trains during Autumn Season by actively pursuing the opportunity presented by the loss of the seasonal contract.”

GBRf declined to comment.