Connexions employees hand in petition to Lewisham Council (From News Shopper)

Connexions employees hand in petition to Lewisham Council

2:08pm Friday 1st April 2011 in News By Kelly Smale

EMPLOYEES of a youth advice centre which closed down yesterday (March 31) have presented a petition to Lewisham Council asking for work.

Connexions, in Lewisham High Street, provides information, advice and guidance for 13 to 19-year-olds as well as support for people up to the age of 25 who have learning difficulties or disabilities.

Babcock Enterprise, which ran the centre, shut its doors yesterday after Lewisham Council decided not to renew the contract.

In a letter to employees, Babcock states: “All matters relating to your employment will be between you and the council and, if the council continues to refuse to employ you, you should look to the council for any ‘notice and redundancy’ payments to which you may consider yourself to be entitled.”

More than 20 Connexions employers turned up at the Town Hall this morning (April 1) to hand in a petition and to present themselves for work.

Spokesman for the group of employees, Paul Williams, said: “We were hoping for them to actually acknowledge us and to accept the fact that we are their responsibility now, which they have been refusing to do all along.”

The Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations (TUPE) protects employees' terms and conditions of employment when a business is transferred from one owner to another.

Connexions employees believe this legislation applies to them and that the council is now their employer.

Ward councillor for Downham, Duwayne Brooks, joined the group outside Laurence House in Catford to show his support.

Cllr Brooks said: “It’s despicable the way the personal advisors at Connexions have been treated.

“These are advisors that have looked after the NEETs (young people not in employment, education or training) in our borough, supported those who are homeless and could be potentially homeless and looked after those who were abusing drugs.”

He added: “For the Mayor to shut down Connexions when we have the highest unemployment rate of 16 to 24 year olds in Britain, shows his lack of respect for the workers of Connexions and a lack of respect for young people in the borough.

“Where are our 16 to 24 year olds going to get that level of support that they get from the personal advisors at Connexions?”

The group gave their petition to a council officer but were told only five of them were employed by the council.

Mr Williams said: “He has come up with five names of people they are going to TUPE over to the council but you can’t just cherry pick workers and leave others. It is a slap in the face of equality.

“He’s telling us we are Babcock employees but Babcock says we are council employees. We are in deadlock. It’s wrong, it’s totally unfair.”

Remaining Connexions employees were advised to contact Babcock regarding redundancy or future employment.

A Lewisham Council spokeswoman said: “Unless identified by Lewisham Council as eligible to become their employees under TUPE regulations or otherwise agreed with Babcock PLC, Connexions Personal Advisers employed by Babcock remain Babcock employees and, as such, the responsibility of Babcock."

She added: " Funds provided to the council for Connexions have been significantly reduced.

"Lewisham proposes that, from April 2011, available resources should be focused on continuing to prevent young people becoming Neet and to reduce the number of young people in the borough who are Neet, as well as supporting vulnerable young people."

How closing Connexions will effect the young people of Lewisham

Spokesman for the group of employees, Paul Williams, said: “One consequence of it closing is the NEET (young people not in employment, education or training) figures will rise.

“We had specialist people working with young people in gangs. They now have nowhere to go. They will be left to their own devices some will go back into gangs and others will get pregnant.

“The borough has failed to recognise the long term consequences. It’s going to end up costing more.”