Unite, the UK’s leading union, has today (22 May) launched a petition against anti-poverty charity Oxfam’s plan to make staff redundant and replace them with casual and agency labour.

The outsourcing targets workers in the charity's publishing team – which manages the production of globally respected research and reports – and its training team, who develop staff skills.

Workers fear more roles could be targeted if Oxfam decides that outsourcing is acceptable. The outsourcing redundancies are part of a wider redundancy programme, which will see Oxfam cut 265 jobs.

Oxfam's plan means replacing secure jobs with casual work. That means staff are being made redundant – but their work will continue to be undertaken. The charity is proposing the work will now be done by outside agencies or casual staff, without a business case being made for this to workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Any company that dumped its permanent staff and replaced them with casual, non-unionised labour would rightly face criticism from Oxfam.

"Yet that is exactly what Oxfam is planning for its own workers. Oxfam must remember what it stands for. Unite is committed to fully protect jobs in a charity that should know better."

The proposals are currently at consultation stage and Unite's petition on outsourcing is the first step in a wider campaign by the union to pressure Oxfam to roll back the entire redundancy programme and save as many jobs as possible.

Regional coordinating officer Jamie Major said: "There are two things at stake. Firstly, outsourcing creates a two-tier workforce and flies in the face of Oxfam's mission to fight poverty. Secondly, Unite believes that this will set a precedent for other roles in the organisation.

“We’re calling on all staff and supporters to sign our petition demanding Oxfam keep these jobs in-house. The more people who sign, the stronger our voice will be."

The petition can be signed at actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-oxfam-outsourcing-protect-jobs-protect-values/

ENDS