Science lab stays open but jobs could still go
JOBS could be axed at the Forensic Science Service (FSS) laboratory in Wetherby as the Government-owned company continues its re-structuring process.
The Wetherby site on Sandbeck Way is not in line for closure following reports last week that FSS managers are considering closing down laboratories in Chorley, Birmingham and Chepstow with the loss of around 500 jobs.
But union Prospect, which represent 1,300 forensic scientists and other professionals nationwide, anticipates FSS managers will announce a further 300 job losses across the FSS's remaining four sites including Wetherby as more details of the company's radical restructuring plans come to light during its ongoing 90-day staff consultation.
Wetherby MP Colin Burgon, while pleased the future of the Wetherby site looks guaranteed, said the FSS workforce was being treated very shabbily.
He spoke at length about his concerns in a House of Commons debate on Tuesday where he described the FSS's current consultation with Wetherby staff as a "shambolic process".
He said: "Obviously, I have had contact with my constituents in Wetherby and they want me to flag up some particular concerns.
"They are concerned that redundancies will result in the loss of many experienced staff from forensic science and that those staff will leave the industry altogether, leaving a skills gap in the future.
"The staff who will be made redundant are mostly career specialists who have committed many years to forensic science and are going to find it very hard to find comparable employment.
"Staff in the existing FSS go the extra mile and spend the extra hour because they feel committed to that public service. That will not be replicated with the great desire to introduce the market into forensic science.”
Mr Burgon claims the FSS is being purposely rundown by the Government for an eventual sell-off as a privatised business.
He argues private forensic companies are currently being allowed to cherry pick the best forensic work for a cheaper price from major customers such as the police.
“I believe that there are areas of our public life, such as education, health and the criminal justice system, that have no place in the market.
“The FSS offers both an objective and professional world-class forensic service and it helps solve hundreds of crimes and secures convictions in court.
“If the work is being done by in-house police services then it no longer becomes objective.”
Prospect negotiator Mike Sparham added: “Our members’ fear is that the compulsion to restructure FSS is driven more by a desire to make it attractive for a future sell-off than maintaining its position as the leading provider of forensic science to the UK criminal justice system.”
An FSS spokesman said staff were being informed of plans to re-organise the company and no decisions on job cuts had been made.
“The proposed new national structure will revolve around crime type instead of the more traditional division, where sites operate independently, by geographical region.
“Newly-designed work streams will instead now bring together scientists whose skills lie in a particular discipline, to directly target the requirements of police forces across England and Wales. The change will be rolled out progressively over the next eighteen months.”
susannah.berry@ypn.co.uk
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Friday 10 February 2012
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