TRADE unionists have launched three days of virtual protests against Blackburn College’s decision to close its Trade Union Health and Safety Training Centre.

Organisers had originally planned for a public protest on Wednesday 12, following previous demonstrations in which workers and their representatives took to the streets to oppose the closure, but decided that this was best postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

Alongside the social media campaign, running from Tuesday to Thursday this week, trade unionists and political figures have taken the opportunity to condemn the proposed closure.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Councillor Brian Taylor said: “Workers need trained safety reps to ensure their workplaces are safe.

“To close the training centre in the middle of the pandemic is misguided and the decision should be reversed.”

The closure, first announced in May, is set to result in job cuts and long-standing TUC accredited courses discontinued.

Blackburn and District Trades Union Council secretary Karen Narramore said: “The closure cannot be justified -The case for slashing provision is equally full of holes.

“The college should be providing dozens of Covid risk assessment courses for Lancashire’s safety representatives - TUC courses are ideally placed to do this.

“The agenda being pursued by the college is putting local workers at risk.”

Workers’ representatives have also said that they believe the move is evidence of a wider culture of hostility to their organisations on the part of college management and that it threatens to consign long standing traditions of worker education in the area to history.

Former government advisor on risk assessment Dr Charlie Clutterbuck said: “Blackburn has a proud tradition on health and safety, pioneered by Barbara Castle who introduced important asbestos regulations long before many of us were aware of the dangers.

“The Blackburn College Centre also played a key role in highlighting the threat of asbestos to local people in the 1980s.

“It has an important role to play at this crucial time, and there is no excuse for its closure.”

As such the campaign to save the centre has drawn support from around the North West.

President of Lancashire Association of Trades Union Councils Dave Wilson said: “This decision to close the Blackburn Centre, which has served Lancashire’s workers for 45 years is totally irresponsible.

“Who will speak up to protect workers’ safety, except well-trained and confident safety reps?

“The Principal cannot justify his decision, which is why he has continually refused to meet us or answer any of our questions.”

Blackburn College has not yet agreed to meet with campaigners and has not commented publicly on the plan since it was first announced aside from insisting that students will not notice a change in the quality of services.

To follow the campaign, visit Blackburn and District Trade Council’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Blackburn-and-District-Trades-Union-Council-163027527077669/.