Labour party staff told they will be out of work at the end of the year
2 min read
Labour party staff on short-term contracts have been told they will be let go at the end of the year.
The shock news was delivered to employees at the party's Newcastle office on Friday.
Some of the staff were left in tears when they were told, while others were furious at the timing of the announcement during an election campaign and so close to Christmas.
It is understood that up to 40 members of staff working at Labour's National Communications Centre were informed that their contracts would not be renewed when they expire at the end of December. Some had been working for the party for more than two years.
A letter sent to those affected by a senior Labour Party official said the NCC had been operating at full capacity because of the prospect of an early general election, but that would no longer ve required after the country has voted.
It said: "As you are aware we have been resourced at general election levels for two years and as a result there are a number of areas that have maintained a higher level of resource than would normally be required.
"This includes the NCC and now that the date of the election has crystallised, contracts will not be extended further."
One of the members of staff affected told PoliticsHome: "We were told we were overstaffed and it was an organisation decision. The usual bull****."
A Labour insider said: "A party that cannot treat it workers right won’t treat its countrymen and women right. What a symbol to send in a general election.
"If this is how they behave when they need staff’s focus and want working class people’s vote, imagine what they will do when they have won and don’t need them. What has the Labour Party become?"
Another added: "These were some of the lowest-paid staff in the organisation. No end to austerity for them."
PoliticsHome also understands that the GMB trade union, as well as members of Labour's national executive committee, were unaware of the decision in advance.
But a Labour source said: "No one has been sacked. Some fixed term contracts are due to end at the end of December. That’s the nature of fixed-term contracts."
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