Information technology staff at the Scottish Borders Council (SBC) have reacted furiously to the news that the SBC plans to outsource 80 of their roles.

The SBC is entering into a joint arrangement with Edinburgh’s City Council which will result in 80 public sector IT staff being outsourced to a supplier in October.

Over 60 of those staff, along with Unite union officials, orchestrated a mass meeting to oppose the decision.

Tony Trench, Unite’s regional industrial officer, said: ‘it’s not just IT staff at the council who should be worried about their jobs, IT staff at places like NHS Borders should also be concerned.

‘We disagree totally with plans to outsource any jobs and want to see the figures they have used to justify this.’

Another meeting will be held in the week beginning 23rd March 2015, accompanied by the launch of a petition to oppose the planned outsourcing.

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