Vertex

200 - 400 jobs
Number of planned job losses

Announcement Date

20 January 2006

Employment effect (start)

Foreseen end date

Description

Up to 400 Administrative staff providing parking, library, waste management and community protection services for Westminster city council have been warned to prepare for the possibility of a new life in Dingwall, 14 miles north west of Inverness. The 400 council workers have been presented with a life-changing ultimatum: leave the centre of London behind and move 580 miles to the Scottish Highlands, or risk losing your job. They were directly employed by the council, but since 2002 have worked for Vertex, a private company providing administrative and customer management services, which already has facilities in Dingwall. The company says there are 'cost efficiencies' in moving much of the operation out of London. There is capacity in Dingwall because another of the firm's contracts, supplying railway information, has been transferred to India. However, London members of the local government union Unison say the move is an attempt to sack them because the company knows few will move to the Highlands. Dave Johnson, Unison national officer said the council is 'gambling with vital services that demand local knowledge. How can it be good for services, residents and people who work in the area to have services dealt with from the far north of Scotland?' Vertex spokesman Nigel Charlton said 200 staff involved in parking administration will be initially affected.

The company hopes to redeploy many of those who cannot relocate to other work in the south of England but cannot yet say how many of those jobs might be available. 'We understand the concern of staff,' he said.

Sources

• 21 January 2006: The Guardian