Jobs bombshell

OUT of Oldham . . . the move will see staff switch to this isolated building in Rochdale

COUNCIL chiefs have been blasted for “railroading” plans to move contact-centre staff out of Oldham.

Workers, unions and Labour leaders are outraged at Oldham Council’s decision to relocate 43 staff from Henshaw House, Oldham, to an “isolated industrial estate” in Rochdale as part of a merger with Rochdale Council.

The council insists moving to the “state-of-the-art facility” at Hafley Court, Buckley Road, Rochdale, in December, will bring immediate savings.

While it accepts the move will cause disruption for staff, it argues that the change will help safeguard jobs and give increased opportunities for the future. But workers, who only relocated from Oldham Civic Centre in July, say difficult commutes could force them to quit.

Local Labour leader, Councillor Jim McMahon, said: “This is a nett job loss from the borough which has been railroaded through without any recall to full council.”

The move will be delivered through Oldham’s joint venture service delivery partner, Unity Partnership, working in close collaboration with Rochdale Council’s joint venture Impact Partnership.

Councillor McMahon added: “To date, the Unity Partnership has failed to deliver on the promises made by its overpaid private sector chiefs. It has not delivered on job creation, it has failed to build a new contact centre in Oldham and it has failed to bring in additional work to benefit the borough.

“Not only has the partnership made losses of over £1million in one year, it can only survive if Oldham hands over even more services and money.

“It is not right that taxpayers in Oldham are propping up a private company which continues to let down the people of Oldham.

“We are being railroaded into a merger with Rochdale’s Impact partnership with little thought being given to the loyal workforce who have tolerated significant change and poor political leadership.

“We have challenged Unity to ensure there are no job losses as a result of this decision, but we have yet to receive adequate assurances.”

One worker said it had caused considerable upset with staff facing early morning and late evening commutes to an isolated industrial estate with no direct bus link from Rochdale Centre. It could mean catching three buses and a two hour journey.

He added: “Staff here that were originally on the Oldham Council contract before the take over from Unity Partnership feel that they have been lied to, as they were assured the service and the jobs would not be moved from Oldham.

“The majority of the staff here have successfully worked around home commitments. This change will have a huge impact on them, as many will not be able to continue to work due to additional travel costs and child care charges.”

Peter Duckworth, from GMB, said the union had not been officially informed, adding: “We are not happy about it. It’s jobs going out of Oldham. I know of nothing coming to Oldham and it feels like one-way traffic.

“Will it actually save the council any money at all if it’s part of Unity? If it’s a cost saving exercise does that mean they will be cutting jobs or will they reduce management rather than workers?”

Labour Councillor Dave Hibbert protested: “How can this be a council decision. I have not been asked, and I am sure that many other councillors have not been asked. To say it is a council decision is a deliberate misrepresentation.”

A letter to staff from Unity managing director John Howard, leaked to the Chronicle, said a 60 day consultation period was underway.

Councillor Lynne Thompson, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Performance and Value for Public Money, said the move showed Oldham can “work smarter” at a challenging time.

She added: “We have an outstanding team of contact centre employees in Oldham and we are confident this change will give them the opportunity to build on the achievements they’ve already made.

“As we look to further opportunities for joint working with Rochdale, we will be looking to identify services that can be delivered across the two boroughs working from a base in Oldham.”



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