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UK army apologizes for e-mail sackings
Source: Agencies |
February 16, 2011, Wednesday
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THE British army apologized yesterday after nearly 40 long-serving soldiers were told by e-mail that they were losing their jobs.
The 38 warrant officers, including one deployed in Afghanistan, were told their contracts would be canceled because of cuts to defense spending, the Sun newspaper said.
"It was out of the blue. We're disgusted," said one of the unnamed soldiers, who had completed five war zone tours. "It's not good - five tours of duty and sacked by e-mail."
The Ministry of Defence's budget of 36.9 billion pounds (US$59.6 billion) will be cut by 8 percent in real terms over the next four years as the government reins in a record peacetime budget deficit of about 10 percent of national output. Army personnel will be cut by about 7,000 to 95,000 as part of the savings.
British media reported up to 100 trainee pilots will be dismissed by the Royal Air Force as other services start to rein in costs.
The e-mails gave the soldiers 12 months' notice, and the Ministry of Defence said they will receive help in training for civilian life.
"We apologize for the distress that this will have caused," an army spokesman said in an e-mail to news organizations.
Jim Murphy, opposition Labour defense spokesman, said the sackings had been made in a "callous, cold-hearted, soulless way."
The 38 warrant officers, including one deployed in Afghanistan, were told their contracts would be canceled because of cuts to defense spending, the Sun newspaper said.
"It was out of the blue. We're disgusted," said one of the unnamed soldiers, who had completed five war zone tours. "It's not good - five tours of duty and sacked by e-mail."
The Ministry of Defence's budget of 36.9 billion pounds (US$59.6 billion) will be cut by 8 percent in real terms over the next four years as the government reins in a record peacetime budget deficit of about 10 percent of national output. Army personnel will be cut by about 7,000 to 95,000 as part of the savings.
British media reported up to 100 trainee pilots will be dismissed by the Royal Air Force as other services start to rein in costs.
The e-mails gave the soldiers 12 months' notice, and the Ministry of Defence said they will receive help in training for civilian life.
"We apologize for the distress that this will have caused," an army spokesman said in an e-mail to news organizations.
Jim Murphy, opposition Labour defense spokesman, said the sackings had been made in a "callous, cold-hearted, soulless way."
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