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Defence workers to hold privatisation protest Jan 23 2006
Defence workers will stage a huge demonstration this week to protest at the threat to jobs by the increasing privatisation of services.
Union leaders warned that thousands of jobs could be lost and millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money was being “squandered” by Government policies.
Hundreds of workers from across the UK will stage a protest in central London on Wednesday, accompanied by a Scottish pipe band.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, said areas being privatised included the training of tank drivers, linguistics, avionics and engineering.
“Defence workers feel a sense of betrayal by these cuts, which are politically driven just to save money,” he said.
“Political decisions are taking no account of the effect on services because of this mad scramble to cut jobs.
“Hundreds of unsung heroes will demonstrate their anger on Wednesday at how they are being treated by the Government.”
Meanwhile, union officials are to meet defence workers across the country over the next few weeks to prepare for an industrial action ballot in protest at the controversial decision to close an aircraft repair site at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
Unions said the decision would cost the taxpayer millions of pounds and could put the Armed Forces in jeopardy.
A joint union statement said: “We believe that these plans will, at the very least, result in greater expenditure and heavier reliance on monopoly private suppliers.
“At worst, it represents an attack on the ability of our armed services to function and may jeopardise frontline armed services and service personnel safety.”