More than 1,000 civil servants risk being laid off after the Department of Labor and Pensions unveiled plans to close dozens of offices across the UK.
The government will close 42 DWP sites by the end of June, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said – a move it said would endanger at least 1,100 jobs.
Speaking in Commons on Wednesday, DWP Minister David Rutley told deputies that meetings with concerned staff would be held on Thursday. Labor has claimed that up to 3,000 jobs could be risked as part of the plans.
Mr Rutley said the government was “looking at what opportunities there are in the DWP” and other departments for staff concerned, adding that the change “does not affect work centers and customer-facing interactions”.
Labor has accused the government of saying “leveling”, saying some of the planned closure areas will affect northern England.
Justin Madders, the party’s shadow business minister, said: “It looks like the Department of Labor and Pensions does not believe in the levels, it does not believe in its own rhetoric about jobs, and it does not believe in the ‘ Keep people at work.
“We hear that offices in Stoke, Southend, Peterborough, Chesterfield and Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy, Barrow, Bishop Auckland, Doncaster and Burnley are being closed down to take jobs from these communities.”
“We have heard that up to 12,000 jobs could be affected, but how many of these workers can find new jobs locally in the department?” He also asked if the minister could guarantee that there would be no coercive decisions.
Mr Rutley accused the PCS of breaking an embargo by announcing the closures and said the DWP would release a written statement to parliament on Friday morning.
Labor and Pensions Minister David Rutley
(PA)
“This seems to be a very unusual situation. It is very disappointing that the embargo with the PCS … does not seem to be respected,” he said.
“Clearly our staff should be the top priority at this time and I hope colleagues understand that I am not able to go into all the details this morning because we are currently informing concerned colleagues as we speak.”
In a statement released earlier, PCS said more than 1,000 roles were at risk over the closure of 13 processing plants, with more job losses feared over the closure and relocation of a further 29 sites. The closures are scheduled to happen by June 2023.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Their union will be there for them to fight for their jobs. But if they need state support, who will they be when they leave?
The PCS added that “having helped keep the UK running during the pandemic, DWP has rewarded our members by announcing large-scale office closures, which almost certainly means job losses.”
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