Merseyside MPs unite in condemnation of Virgin Media’s call centre closure plan
21st November 2011
No less than five Merseyside MPs lined up alongside CWU members
and Liverpool City Council representatives on Friday to express
community-wide anger at Virgin Media's plan to close its Albert
Dock call centre.
With 435 precious Liverpool jobs at stake, the noisy protest
outside the call centre - located in the heart of Liverpool's
World Heritage Site - delivered an unmistakable message to Virgin
Media (VM) bosses that they will incur the wrath of an entire
community unless they reconsider plans to pull out of Merseyside by
April next year.
Urging the company to 'think again' about a decision which represents a severe body blow to an area already struggling to cope with high unemployment levels, the message from protestors was unmistakable. "Virgin Media don't be cruel - keep our jobs in Liverpool," chanted protestors, as Labour MPs and councillors lined up to urge the company to engage with the City Council which has pledged to assist VM find suitable new low-cost accommodation in the City.
As things stand, those facing redundancy at the Albert Docks
call centre have only been offered job relocation to Swansea, an
option which has been widely derided as a 'non-option' for
virtually everyone affected.
"It's totally unpractical to expect nearly
450 people to relocate to Swansea," stressed MP for Liverpool
Riverside Louise Ellman, whose constituency covers
the Albert Dock site. "I want Virgin Media to look again at
this decision, to reconsider their position and, if they have to
close the Albert Dock site, to find alternative jobs for people in
Liverpool.
"My message to Richard Branson is simple: 'Think again
- there are over 400 people working hard for you here in Liverpool.
I do think you owe them some loyalty."
Luciana Berger, MP for Liverpool
Wavertree, agreed - branding the 'relocation to Swansea'
idea "absolutely ridiculous and absurd" - quite apart
from the fact that "we just can't afford to lose any more
jobs in this city."
Luciana continued: "It's perfectly practicable for the
jobs to relocate within Liverpool. There are lots of options and
the City Council is very keen to do everything it possibly can to
accommodate Virgin. There are options on the table and Virgin needs
to seriously consider them in their consultation.
"Richard Branson, and whoever is responsible for this decision in VM, needs to understand that these jobs need to stay in Liverpool. They are quality jobs; the people doing them are very good at them and have been doing them for many years without much of a pay rise. These jobs deserve to stay in the city and the people doing them, who live in the city, deserve to have jobs here where their home is."
Steve Rotherham, MP for Liverpool
Walton, told the CWU: "My direct message to Richard Branson is
'get your finger out, come here and try and save the jobs of
the people in Liverpool who have helped your company make the
profits that it does.
"This is devastating for Liverpool. Everybody remembers the
bad old days in the 80s when Liverpool seemed to be haemorrhaging
jobs on a weekly basis. We've fought long and hard to turn the
fortunes of Liverpool around. Just when we seemed to have turned
the corner, and people are beginning to look at the city in a
different light, Virgin Media - which makes an awful lot of money
and profit out of the people of Liverpool and Merseyside - looks as
if it intends to turn its back on our city. It's just a
disgraceful attitude from Branson & co."
Maria Eagle, MP for Garston and
Halewood, added: "We don't want to see jobs exported from
the city. Any job losses in Liverpool at the moment represent a
disaster. Everyone knows that unemployment is rising and we cannot
t afford to see any jobs leave Liverpool - much less good jobs like
these. "My message to the company now is to talk to the staff
and trade union representatives to come up with an alternative,
because there are alternatives that keep jobs here. The workforce
here is great and VM need to recognise that and change their
plans."
Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South
agreed. Having grown up in Merseyside in the 80s and 90s she
stressed that anything that threatens a return to those dark days
needs to be fought tooth and nail. "I'm here today to show
my support to all the people who work at the VM site here in
Liverpool, especially CWU members. We need to keep these jobs in
Merseyside."
The united message of defiance from the MP's was backed up by a
strong showing of local councillors at the protest, including
Liverpool City Council Cabinet members Tim Moore, Steve Mumby and
Nick Small, and Wirral Council Cabinet member Brian Kenny.
Cllr Mumby, Council Cabinet member
for Neighbourhoods, described VM's closure decision as
"devastating news for Liverpool", adding: "As a
Council we're absolutely determined to try to do everything we
can to protect jobs, but this is like being hit by a tidal wave.
It's cheeky to say the least from Virgin Media - they've
just scooped up Northern Rock with the taxpayer taking a big hit,
and I think that local people will make that connection.
"Even now I'd urge Virgin Media to think again. As a
Council we'll sit down with you any time you want. The MPs, the
Council and the workforce will work with you to secure sustainable
jobs in Liverpool. Our door is always open."
Cllr Moore, Council Cabinet member
for the Environment and Climate Change, concluded: "Our
message to Richard Branson is 'please reconsider this
decision'. These are good jobs, filled by good workers with
good skills."
The solidarity demonstrated by MPs and City councillors alike was warmly welcomed by CWU general secretary Billy Hayes, himself a Liverpudlian.
Addressing the protesters, Billy - flanked by CWU senior deputy
general secretary Tony Kearns - told the gathering: "This is
the kind of Labour party that we want - a party which stands
shoulder to shoulder with workers whose jobs are at risk.
"The big public display of solidarity we've seen shows
how much these jobs mean to people in Liverpool. Politicians from
across the area are standing up in support of these workers.
"We want Virgin Media to commit to keeping jobs in
Liverpool. Closing the Albert Dock site doesn't have to mean
the loss of jobs from the area - there are alternatives to keep
these jobs in Merseyside and that's what we want the company to
look at. Ahead of Christmas any good news on jobs is what these
workers are wishing for."
More than 1,000 people have already signed a CWU petition protesting against the closure plan. Sign the online petition now to show your support.
Virgin Media is set to close the Albert Dock site by April 2012 and move the work to sites in Swansea and Manchester making it almost impossible for local staff to transfer.
CWU represents workers across Virgin Media. For more information and to support the campaign visit Save Virgin Media Liverpool.
Do you work for Virgin Media? Join the CWU now by contacting FREEPHONE 0800 731 7434 or email joinunion@cwu.org. Benefit from representation at national and local level as well as a range of exclusive membership offers.
