Defence axe will be ‘body blow’ for Ministry of Defence jobs, warns
Unite
18 October 2010
The strategic defence review will be a ‘body blow’ for thousands
of skilled Ministry of Defence (MoD) jobs, Unite, the largest union
in the country, warned today (Monday 18 October).
The strategic defence review is due to be unveiled tomorrow
(Tuesday 19 October) against a backdrop of Whitehall in-fighting
and claims that Britain’s aircraft carriers will operate without
planes for a period.
Unite is concerned about the future of its 15,000 industrial
members working for the MoD, in such jobs as tank fitters and
aircraft refuellers.
Unite’s national officer for the MoD, Kevin Coyne, said:
”Thousands of skilled jobs are at risk in defence maintenance, as
is the apprenticeship programme for the next generation of skilled
employees.
”This government’s short-term view policy of ‘cuts, cuts, and
more cuts’ will be a body blow for these skilled jobs, so vital in
ensuring that Britain has a defence strategy that is coherent and
will actually deliver the logistical support in a joined-up
fashion.
”Hundreds of skilled fire fighters and trained civilian ground
staff will lose their jobs in, mainly, rural communities which will
have a devastating knock-on impact to local economies. RAF bases
will also be closed.
”MoD guards will be cut back. At a time of heightened security,
it is foolish to axe this critical civilian force. They may be
replaced with soldiers who are already stressed and who cost almost
twice as much as the civilian force.”
ENDS
Note to news editors:
For further information, please ring Kevin Coyne on 07798 531006
and/or Unite communications officer, Shaun Noble on 07768
693940
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