Don't sell Birmingham's family silver
23 September 2010
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has warned Birmingham city
council against selling-off the city's family silver after news
emerged the Tory/Lib Dem council had considered the sale of
the Birmingham NEC.
Birmingham council leaders are believed to have been in talks
with Middle East sovereign funds over a potential sale.
But Unite, which has hundreds of members at the NEC, is warning
against knee-jerk reactions resulting from pressure to make cuts.
The NEC made an operating profit of almost £30 million last
year.The exhibition centre makes a positive long term, social and
economic contribution to the West Midlands.
Unite's regional secretary, Gerard Coyne, said: "Workers at the
NEC will be very concerned about their futures. This Con-Dem
council does not have the right to sell-off Birmingham's family
silver. Short-termist, knee jerk reactions will leave the city
worse off in the long term. Unite will campaign to keep the NEC in
public hands."
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
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