Jobs At Risk At IAS
Monday 15th November
2010
82 JOBS AT RISK AT IMMIGRATION
ADVISORY SERVICE (IAS) IN
BRISTOL,
BEDFORD, CENTRAL
LONDON AND HOUNSLOW
Cuts in services for clients
and cuts in staff pay comes despite salary increases for managers
says GMB
The Immigration Advisory Service (IAS)
is proposing to cut 82 jobs by closing its Bristol and Bedford
offices and merging its Central London and Hounslow offices
culling two thirds of its workforce in the process. The 82
jobs at risk include 6 people's jobs at the Higher Appeals Research
& Information Department (HARID) in London.
Consultation with GMB started on 1st
November and the management has already given notice on the lease
and looking to close the Bristol office in January 2011. GMB
believes that the Bedford office will close soon due to a failure
to gain funding. The Leicester and Cardiff offices closed earlier
this year.
The IAS is a not for profit,
independent charity and a company limited by guarantee providing
immigration and asylum advice. It is funded mainly through the
Legal Services Commission.
A change in funding from hours worked
to cases billed has left the IAS with a funding deficit leaving it
owing money to the Legal Services Commission. The money owing has
to be repaid, and the buffer that the LSC provide is to be reduced
from a debt of £3.3 million at March 2010, to £2.3 million by March
2011 and to £0.9 million by March 2012.
Anna Meyer, GMB Organiser said,
"Chief Executive of IAS Lynn McDougall came from the care
home sector and she has no legal background. Her first definitive
action when she took over in August this year was to make these
proposed redundancies.
The IAS is proposing to cut
wages and services with no regard to its clients needs or staffs
rights. GMB believes that the main reason for the redundancies is
to enable IAS to repay the money it owes to the Legal Services
Commission.
GMB believes that the IAS has
gone ahead with salary increases for the senior management and is
lying about it. Just prior to the announcement the IAS
reviewed and upgraded the salaries of senior managers. GMB asked
for the upgrading to be put on hold because of the financial
situation and the management agreed not to increase the senior
management salaries.
Closing the
Bristol office, soon after the
Cardiff office leaves the south west area
of the UKwith virtually no
immigration advice cover at all.''
Ends
Contact: Anna Meyer, GMB Organiser on
07974 251808 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or
Rose Conroy on 07974 251 823.