Shameful to ‘fire and rehire’ staff

DEAR Editor, In 2022 the Commonwealth Games comes to the Midlands. Fantastic!

In Smethwick a £73 million aquatic centre is being built for this. In the same borough,

Sandwell Leisure Trust – the organisation that runs Sandwell Leisure Centres – have forced staff off national pay and conditions. They call it “fire and rehire”.

The company said they had needed to do this because of the pandemic. They said they were losing £100,000 per year. What is clear is that this Trust has £3.9 million in reserves.

Sandwell Council have even offered to help if needed and this has been rejected.

The Queen when speaking of the Commonwealth Games previously highlighted the bonds that unite the 71 nations and territories.

Never mind countries and territories, Sandwell Leisure Trust have already broken bonds in this area.

A shameful example of treating their employees like also-rans.

The sooner Sandwell Council takes the leisure centres back in house and looks after their own people, the better.

C Stoll, Halesowen