All aboard for Rochdale

UNITY Partnership call centre staff have completed their cost-saving move out of Oldham — with minibus transport to their new Rochale base.

Most of the 42 employees are ex-Oldham Council staff whose jobs switched to the partnership — the council’s joint venture with private company Mouchel, created in 2007.

Nine of the staff declined to move from their former base at Henshaw House to Hafley Court in Rochdale, for “personal reasons”.

The contact call centre was controversially moved to save money. Critics say the new site is an isolated industrial estate.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher said he was appalled that the Partnership was being relocated to the “most undesirable, hard-to-reach area imaginable.”

A Unity spokesman said: “There have been no changes to employees’ contracts of employment apart from the change in their work location.

“After consultation with staff we have provided minibus transport that runs several times a day to and from Oldham and Hafley Court to accommodate the different shift patterns of staff.

“Where employees use their own vehicles they are being recompensed for any excess travel expenses.”

He said, to mark the occasion, Rochdale’s Impact Partnership staff collected £300 to donate to Dr Kershaw’s Hospice.

Wendy Bradbury, Oldham branch chairman of Unison, confirmed that staff were still in talks with Unity management about call centre staff.

Councillor Mohammed Masud said: “Our customers are our number one priority which is why I’m delighted that the Unity contact centre staff and operations have now successfully transferred.

“This move not only supports the contact centre staff to build on the great service delivery that is already offered to Oldham residents, but this will also in turn result in cost savings for the council in this difficult economic time.”