Key technologists and support staff, who design and supply protective clothing and equipment to the armed forces, have reacted angrily to news that a proposal to move 250 jobs at the site to Bath by 2009 could be brought forward by a year.
They warn that the accelerated timescale will further jeopardise the defence supply chain, already at risk because 90% of Caversfield’s workforce are unwilling to relocate. Rather than spend billions on new offices and relocation costs, staff argue that the money could be better spent elsewhere in MOD, and point to the recent Commons Defence Select Committee report on accommodation for British troops.
George Clarke, Prospect section secretary at Caversfield, said: "The efforts put in place by our members to smooth the transition to the new site, for example by ensuring no new contracts need to be negotiated during the move period, will be worthless if the date is brought forward.
"With the vast majority of the workforce unwilling to move, DE&S will lack the skills to deliver the supplies needed by our troops in the frontline. Previous relocations by other organisations have already exhausted the pool of people in the south-west with the appropriate skills. MOD will struggle to recruit, let alone train the staff needed to run DE&S if it moves to Bath. This move is madness."
Prospect negotiations officer Kevin McAlonan said: "Many of our members at Caversfield have already relocated from either Colchester or Glasgow and are not prepared to put themselves and their families through that upheaval again."
Questions remain over the rationale for the relocation, to co-locate clothing, equipment, food and general stores procurement on one site, given:
- • DE&S has no involvement with the teams procuring food or general stores
- • storage of defence clothing and equipment will still be based near Caversfield
- • the major general in charge of the supply chain will continue to be based in Andover.