EDUCATION privateers in Worcestershire announced plans yesterday to sack more than 100 workers just weeks after taking over the work of school support staff.

Babcock International was awarded a contract to provide support services including administration, specialist teachers for pupils with disabilities and early years schooling.

Worcestershire County Council transferred 391 workers into Babcock’s employment this month.

The company now wants to sack 104 of them.

The workers’ union GMB slammed the plans as “unacceptable.”

GMB regional officer Justine Jones said: “GMB opposed this outsourcing from the very beginning.

“We said at the time that jobs were under threat but this was denied by the council.

“This was cynical and disgraceful as Worcestershire County Council was well aware that these job losses were on the cards when it awarded this contract to Babcock International.

“The council has washed its hands of these workers and the valuable work they do.

“These job losses will not only affect GMB members employed by Babcock, but also the schools, parents, teachers and, most importantly, the children in the area, especially children with special needs.”

She said that £38 million in taxpayers’ cash would be handed to the privateers in the next five years.