New ballot of ISS workers in Whitehall shows chaos of outsourcing
PCS members employed by ISS as cleaners and security guards at BEIS have launched a ballot for strike action.
The nearly 60 PCS members work as cleaners and security guards at two BEIS offices in Whitehall. These are workers who are typically exploited for profit by outsourcing companies, but they are adamant that their pay and conditions should reflect the hard work and value they contribute to the running of the civil service.
The PCS members are demanding £17 an hour and while PCS has met with ISS managers, ISS has failed to make a serious offer. In addition, the members are asking for improvements to conditions that go some way towards matching the contracts of civil servants working in the same building.
The ballot runs from 24 June to 8 July.
Outsourcing of this work is something that PCS continues to fight against. The contracts end up being more expensive for the taxpayer, showing the chaos and costliness of outsourcing.
PCS General Secretary, Fran Heathcote, said:
“The refusal to respond to workers’ dignity and needs is the key to the profits made on taxpayer-funded contracts by outsourcing giants like ISS. I echo the confidence of our members at BEIS who are yet again forced to strike for a fourth year running to try to address chronic low pay. If Labour wins the election, we will keenly watch its commitment to ending the chaos of outsourcing in its first 100 days.”