Fury over Tory-led council's plans to export jobs to India
2 June 2011
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has expressed fury after
learning that the Tory-Led Birmingham city council is the first
council planning to export jobs overseas.
The union has demanded that Birmingham halt its plans
immediately or face the wrath of the unions and the people of
Birmingham. Service Birmingham is the council's joint venture with
Capita Business Services. It provides IT and HR support and is
planning to offshore 100 roles by the end of 2011.
Employees have already been recruited from India to shadow
workers in Birmingham (subject to visas being cleared) with a view
to learning how to do the roles and then 'lifting and shifting'
them overseas.
This work is paid for by Birmingham city taxpayers but there has
been no consultation with the public or the unions over such
significant plans. Unite fears that this is just the tip of the
iceberg and more council jobs in Birmingham and other councils
could also eventually go abroad.
Unions will meet with the council on Friday 3 June and will
demand the council stops and consults with the unions rather than
push ahead with plans that will permanently cut jobs from
Birmingham and will be deeply unpopular with voters.
Unite's national officer Peter Allenson said: "It beggars belief
that council workers will be forced to train workers from overseas
to do their jobs so Capita and Birmingham council can lift and
shift them abroad. This is a major betrayal of the people of
Birmingham and the loyal staff who serve this city.
"This is an outrageous decision and Unite will fight tooth and
nail to stop this Tory-led council from exporting these valuable
jobs overseas. Unite is demanding that Birmingham city council
halts its plans. We fear this could be just the tip of the iceberg
and other councils could follow suit. Thousands of public sector
jobs could go. Once these jobs go they will not come back.
"Indian workers are not to blame, in fact with little or no
trade unions to represent them we have genuine concerns about their
treatment. The blame lies firmly with private companies prepared to
go to any length to cut costs for profit and this Tory-led council
which is encouraging them to get away with it."
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo 07768 931 315
