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Outsourcing job losses trigger strike ballot
Council confirms deal will lead to redundancies...

By Andy McCue

Published: Tuesday 31 May 2005

Bradford council IT staff are being balloted on strike action this week after the head of the local authority admitted a £160m outsourcing deal will lead to redundancies.

Trade union Unison claims the council has broken promises made during earlier contract negotiations that there would be no job losses as a result of the Bradford-i outsourcing project.

The latest calls for a strike were triggered by a meeting between Bradford council's CEO and the 105 IT staff affected by the Bradford-i project, where it was confirmed that at least 22 jobs would be axed and a further 40 roles impacted by the move.

The strike ballot started on Monday this week and will run until 10 June.

Patrick Kerry, lead negotiator for Unison, said: "Industrial action could commence as early as 18 June and could escalate to other areas of the council."