Foreign Office cleaners and caterers announce strike dates

Cleaners and caterers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office are to take two days’ strike action in an escalation of their dispute over pay, terms and conditions.

The strike by eleven Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members employed by outsourced OCS in East Kilbride on September 18 and 19 follows last week’s industrial action ballot that saw a 100% ‘Yes’ vote on a 100% turnout.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Our members continue to deliver key services to the FCDO but OCS’s continued refusal to recognise the challenges they face due to the company’s attempted driving down of pay, terms and conditions is completely unacceptable.

“This strike action is avoidable if OCS acts reasonably to table an offer reflecting the significant improvements to pay, terms and conditions that our members deserve.

“We continue to demand that the contract is insourced."

The union is also demanding an increase to annual leave and the introduction of company sick pay for those who currently have no entitlement to contractual sick pay.

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