Construction union UCATT are calling on Islington council to defend the jobs of highly skilled craft workers in the borough.

Kier Islington is planning to close the borough's joinery shop and transfer work to a separate entity in Harlow.

The joinery shop provides doors, windows and stairways for local authority properties throughout the borough. They also provide an emergency repair service when it is needed. The workers are highly skilled and the joinery shop also provides apprenticeships and training, in an area where high quality manual training is limited.

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Kier Islington is a joint venture between private company Kier's and the Liberal Democrat led authority. The council has a golden share in the venture and are able to veto the proposed closure.

It is understood that the vast majority of the workers affected by the threatened closure of the joinery shop are unwilling to transfer to Harlow. If the shop closes their skills and knowledge will be lost by both the residents of Islington and the company.

Jerry Swain, Regional Secretary for UCATT's London and the South East region, said: "This is an area of Islington which is crying out for skilled workers and training. It is outrageous that the council could even contemplate transferring jobs to Essex and leaving local residents with a poorer service."

The issue is set to be debated at Islington's full council meeting on October 9.

(CD/JM)