MoD experts have a pivotal role supporting the UK's armed forces
says Unite
9 April 2008
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has written to Baroness Taylor
to urge her to ensure that MoD experts have a pivotal role
supporting the UK's armed forces, rather than transferring future
work critical to the nations defence to the private sector.
The union is calling on Baroness Taylor to ensure that the newly
created Defence Support Group (DSG) receives long term, guaranteed
investments.
On 1st April, ABRO the Army Based Repair Organisation and DARA
the Defence Aviation Repair Agency, merged to form the Defence
Support Group (DSG). The new organisation brings together the
in-house repair of lorries, tanks, planes and battlefield
electronics at the MoD.
The union is warning that the DSG has a limited lifespan unless
it has access to future work and that the critical skills of the
staff working at the DSG are under threat without guarantees on
investment in the plant, processes and people.
Staff inside DSG are meeting every challenge with distinction as
they repair planes, tanks and Land Rovers coming back from
Afghanistan and Iraq.
Earlier this year the Government announced the sale of the
Defence Aviation Repair Agency's (DARA) rotary wing and components
(RW&C) operation to the Canadian owned Vector Aerospace.
Unite national officer, Ian Waddell says, "We welcome the
creation of the new DSG agency as an important step forward in
protecting defence critical skills and capabilities under one roof,
but it is essential that the new DSG is given work to do by the
armed forces.
Our members inside DSG are meeting every challenge with
distinction as they repair planes, tanks and Land Rovers coming
back from Afghanistan and Iraq.
In order to ensure that these vital skills are protected for the
long term, the MoD must guarantee investment and order the armed
forces to use the DSG rather than taking work to the private
sector."
The union is calling on the MoD to;
1.Lay out responsibilities for the agency which are clear to
industry, the Armed Forces and management within the MoD.
2.Ensure that decision making on
procurement and the sourcing of maintenance, repair and overhaul
takes into account the impact of any decisions on the DSG as a
pre-requisite. In this way, a proper evaluation and impact
assessment of decisions could be made.
3. Invest in plant, machinery and most importantly, people, in
order to ensure that the DSG provides value for money and world
class support to our Armed Forces. The union is urging the MoD to
re-examine the financial constraints the agency faces in having to
make a profit and return this to the centre. The union believes
this represents the worst of both worlds as there is little
opportunity to reinvest profits in the business, and therefore
little incentive to drive down costs and improve efficiency.
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo 07768 931 315
