The council, run by the Tories in coalition, as at national level, with the Liberal Democrats, is the first in Britain to announce plans to move local jobs, funded by local taxpayers, out of the country. Activists fear that if the city council “gets away” with its controversial plan then thousands more town hall jobs will end up overseas.
Redundancy notices have already been served on 70 IT staff who have been told they must “train their replacements” before they go.
Mike Whitby, Conservative leader of the council, said the plan, together with new staff contracts which break nationally agreed terms and conditions, are designed to make the authority “fit for the challenges facing the public sector.” But Unite national officer Peter Allenson said: “It beggars belief that council workers will be forced to train workers from overseas to do their jobs so Birmingham council can lift and shift them abroad.”
Unite and Unison members employed by Southampton City Council have warned of more strikes unless the authority “gets serious” about resolving a row over jobs, pay and conditions. The Conservative-controlled council has issued its entire workforce of 4,300 with three-month dismissal notices saying they must accept a 5.5 per cent pay cut or face the sack.
