HSE staff in industrial action over Bootle move

News | HSP
10.07.2008

HSE staff in London have launched industrial action over the planned move to Bootle on Merseyside.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union will work to rule, ban overtime and withdraw goodwill.

The union said only 10 out of 300 staff at the HSE's London headquarters have expressed an interest in relocating, whereas the business case for the move had anticipated closer to 130 would be interested.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said, "Staff in London HQ play a vital and active role in HSE's efforts to keep people healthy and safe at work. Their technical knowledge of health and safety and understanding of the political environment, magnified by years of experience in building relationships with other government departments and stakeholders, makes HSE the modern, world recognised and relevant organisation that it is today.

"Already, nearly 100 staff and four senior managers, including both deputy chief executives, have left. We believe the risks to the organisation of losing this vital expertise are now too great, which is why we are calling on the HSE and the government to think again."

Speaking in March, HSE chief executive Geoffrey Podger acknowledged concerns about losing experienced staff, but said this would be eased by the two-year timeframe and pointed out that "most of the HSE's 'deep expertise' is not affected; we're all over the country."