Activate special on outsourcing out now

Sent this week to PCS reps and advocates across the UK, the latest edition of Activate highlights why bringing outsourced jobs back into the public sector, away from profiteering multi-national companies, is a longstanding demand of PCS.

In its election manifesto, Labour made a commitment to insource facilities management services such as cleaning, catering and security within government departments and agencies, which would benefit thousands of PCS members.

Our outsourced workers across the UK are now fighting tooth-and-nail to push the new government to implement this commitment.

We have seen how outsourcing has created a two-tier workforce, a race to the bottom on pay and conditions that has disproportionately impacted women and black workers.

Activate articles

This month’s edition of Activate features articles on the inspirational organising taking place in different ISS and G4S sites where members are demanding to be brought back in-house while continuing to fight for improvements to their current contracts.

We profile PCS members employed by ISS at Department for Energy Security and Net Zero who have recently won an inflation-busting pay rise and concessions on leave entitlements - and hope to turn this momentum into a move in-house.

We also hear from outsourced security guards at DWP jobcentre sites on their current phase of strike action and why insourcing is the solution to many of their issues.

In addition, this issue includes a blog from PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote about the failures of outsourcing as well as a special tribute to the late internationally-renowned organiser Jane McAlevey, whose organising ideas have had a huge influence on PCS.

Email your views and ideas for future editions of Activate to editor@pcs.org.uk