16 August 2006 | Paul Snell

Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) staff are to vote on possible industrial action over job losses and relocation.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) will ballot 2,500 DLO staff to ask if they support a work-to-rule, with the result expected at the end of September.

The ballot is in response to the decision to co-locate staff from the DLO and the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) and move jobs to the Bristol/Bath area (Web news, 7 July). The Ministry of Defence (MoD) expects the move to save £200 million over 25 years, but it will lead to the loss of 360 jobs.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said in a statement: "Staff are dismayed over the arbitrary and flawed nature of these plans which are being forced through with little consultation. Our members are extremely concerned that these plans will have a damaging impact on the support our armed forces receive."

The news follows criticism of military procurement made by the Commons' defence committee last week. In a report on operations in Iraq, the committee concluded: "Long-term procurement projects are failing to deliver mission-critical capabilities on time." The committee added that procurement must become "smarter and more flexible" for troops to be fully effective.

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