Lives at risk

Staff cuts at army training ranges threaten public As staff at military training ranges across the country face cuts of up to 370 positions—bringing the total range workforce down to 1,000—Unite warned on today (Thursday October 30) that the lives of both civilians and army trainees could be put at grave risk.

Landmarc Support Services, which runs the ranges for the Ministry of Defence, has driven down wages and cut staff to the bone, after it had put in the lowest possible bid for a five-year contract with the MoD.

Landmarc had held the contract for over a decade, and out of fear of losing it when it had been put out to tender, the support services provider slashed its bid to remain competitive.

Unite has called on its 325 members working for Landmarc to strike for 24 hours on November 3 over the resulting proposed redundancies, lack of consultation and safety issues.

Especially alarming is the decision to hand over the running of ranges to service personnel, who are not as well-trained as range wardens.

Unite regional officer Bob Middleton explained in his letter to the MoD why professional range wardens were instrumental in protecting lives.

“If the professional range wardens are removed during live firing training it is our view that it will be a matter of time before a fatality occurs,” Middleton said.

“During the past year there have been numerous incidents on the ranges which would have resulted in a fatality, if the professional wardens had not been present,” he added. “Two years ago an Irish Ranger soldier in Wales was killed. All ranges throughout the country need to be in control of fully trained range wardens.”

As a result of potentially ongoing strike action throughout November, ranges will have to close for health and safety reasons, as rangers will not be present to ensure that members of the public are kept from straying onto the training areas.

Middleton also noted that the closing of ranges may have a “knock-on” effect for army training plans, which could constrain the MoD from making any deployments in the near future.

Middleton added that cuts to pay that members face, with an increase in working hours, will make it impossible for them to do their jobs.

“Some of our members, who earn a modest basic of £16,000-£19,000-a-year, could lose up to £6,000 in salary and overtime payments,” he said.

Unite has called on the MoD to urgently review the current contract.

The sites affected by Monday’s strike will include: Penhale training camp, Newquay, Cornwall;  Warcop training centre, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria; Kirkcudbright, Dumfries; Blackness Road, Dundee; Garelochhead training camp, Dunbartonshire; Caerwent training area, Gwent; Cameron Barracks, Inverness.

Longmoor training camp, Liss, Hampshire; Beckingham, Lincoln; Sennybridge training centre, Powys; Otterburn, Newcastle; Wathgill Camp, Richmond, North Yorkshire; Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire; St Martins Plain, Hythe, Kent, Lydd camp, Romney Marsh and Napier Barracks, Folkstone; Tilshead, Salisbury; Brunswick Camp, Pirbright, Surrey; Ash ranges, Ash, Surrey; and West Tofts Camp, Thetford, Norfolk.

Photo credit: Ministry of Defense