Speaking for both unions, Peter Skyte, MSF regional officer, said: "There is pressure from some areas for some form of action. We have not ruled out industrial action as a possible approach if we are not able to protect the staff who are affected."
The unions claim the changes could leave the corporation stretched, particularly on the investment side.
"There is quite a concern among members about the ability to deliver the investment programme with the new arrangements," said Skyte. "There may be insignificant regard being taken to the control of public expenditure."
The corporation has said the shake-up will mean a net loss of 16 jobs. But Skyte said because there would be new senior jobs created, more junior staff would be likely to lose their jobs.
"The figures could disguise things because there is a mismatch in grades and skills and the actual loss could be significantly higher," he said. "The cuts in staffing will have a disproportionate effect on women and black and minority staff."
The Corporation deputy chief executive Simon Dow said when the restructuring was announced that although there was likely to be some trepidation among staff, the vast majority supported the need to change.
But Skyte told Housing Today that corporation staff were angered by his comments.
Meanwhile, new corporation chief executive Norman Perry said he would be looking to restructure the agency's headquarters team while Dow steers the implementation of the new regional structure.
In an interview with Housing Today, Perry, who took over last week, said: "The fact that this is the biggest change [at the corporation] for 25 years says to me why has it taken 25 years? Maybe in the future there will be big changes every two years - not for the sake of it but in response to the demands of government."
Source
Housing Today
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