Birkenhead Land Registry staff lobby Parliament over proposed job losses

Jan 27 2010 by Matt Hurst, Heswall News

BIRKENHEAD Land Registry staff joined 250 colleagues from around the country to lobby Parliament over proposed job losses.

The organisation is seeking to restructure and, although Wirral has escaped office closures on this occasion, around 60 positions are threatened at Land Registry’s Rosebrae site.

Dave Lunn is Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union branch chairman.

He told the News: “We met with (Riverside MP) Louise Ellman, who says she supports our campaign and will raise our members’ concerns.

“We also met with minister Michael Willis and (Birkenhead MP) Frank Field tabled some questions for us in Parliament.

“Ben Chapman (Wirral South) is writing to the chief executive of Land Registry and Angela Eagle (Wallasey) is raising concerns in respect of vulnerable disabled members.

“Certainly the politicians seem to be quite engaged as we reach the end of the consultation process.”

The proposals would see as many as 60 lower grade clerical positions made redundant, as well as threatening the future of the filing branch in Argyle Street.

A consultation process is currently under way, and reaches its conclusion on Jan 29, but Mr Lunn says the process has proved frustrating.

He said: “We’ve been involved in the consulta-tion period but it’s been more a case of trying to get information out of them, like pulling teeth.

“We’ve had to lodge Freedom of Information requests to get information.”

Though face-to-face talks have proved frustrating, the political campaign is building speed. Angela Eagle said: “I will write a letter to the new chief executive expressing the worries the workers have about their jobs.

“Quite a lot of work is being done online, so there is less demand for basic clerical work.

“We're working on how to retrain and protect these workers.”

The PCS hasn’t ruled out industrial action but Mr Lunn feels there are reasons to be positive.