Please copy to all PCS members in DWP Shared Services
PCS is campaigning to stop government plans to privatise Shared Services in the DWP, DEFRA, the Environment Agency and UK SBS Ltd (BIS). The government has told PCS that current plans assume that all shared service staff will TUPE transfer to a private company called SSC Ltd on 1 November.
PCS believes that this privatisation will mean worse terms and conditions and less job security for hundreds of union members working in Shared Services who deal with your personal information. PCS are particularly concerned about the threat that once privatised this will be sent abroad.
PCS is also deeply concerned that your personal details and payroll information and the sensitive personal and government data – the names, addresses, and bank accounts of hundreds of thousands of Civil Servants will be privatised and sent abroad.
Please go to http://action.pcs.org.uk/page/speakout/save-our-shared-services and send the e-action letter to your MP.
PCS is opposing this privatisation in national negotiations with the government holding meetings of members in shared services and lobbying MP’s.
PCS believes that this sensitive work can and should be done efficiently in the civil service.
The cabinet office has announced the Preferred Bidder for the SSC Ltd contract is Steria UK. Steria - a French based multinational – will have the 75% share ownership and control of SSC Ltd. This will give Steria what is called a “Special Majority”, meaning that Steria can essentially do what it pleases with the company. Currently Government will retain a 25% stake but the Cabinet Office has also confirmed that the Government’s stake and interest will last for only 5 to 7 years. After that they do not guarantee further involvement.
PCS has now met Steria executives and we are about to begin a series of meetings to ensure the best possible protections for members.
We must have time to negotiate
PCS are opposed to privatisation. It is clear already that if these proposals go ahead that:
- There will be significant job losses and site closures.
- There will be off-shoring of functions putting even more jobs at risk.
- Members will lose their Civil Service status and be transferred into the private sector.
- This is about achieving the Governments cuts targets.
The current proposal is to transfer staff to Steria on Nov 1st 2013 although the Cabinet Office have confirmed that this is subject to various approvals. PCS is vociferously opposing this, and demanding that the date is put back to enable genuine Meaningful Consultation to take place. If the Cabinet Office is serious about these talks then the timetable has to reflect this.
What we have done
PCS have met the Cabinet Office and have consistently argued that shared services should remain in the civil service.
We have raised our concerns with Sir Bob Kerslake, Head of the Civil Service, and sought assurances that there would be no loss of civil service status for staff affected and no off-shoring of functions currently delivered by those staff. We have also written to the Permanent Secretaries of DWP, Defra and the Chief Executive of UK SBS Ltd to confirm that failure to provide these assurances would establish a trade dispute. As these assurances were not given, a trade dispute now exists.
On Oct 2nd we met the Governments’ Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Kelly, to strongly press our concerns about the timetable. The meeting was positive, and Mr Kelly was open to our concerns. We were promised first sight of information as it became available, including the Treasury approvals process. We hope that this may lead to a more realistic timetable, enabling us to better protect the interests of shared service staff who may transfer. As we write we are waiting for a response as to whether the timetable will be put back to ensure time for meaningful consultation on an agreement which will protect staff if they transfer. We also want a guarantee that we can continue to discuss the principle of privatisation, including off shoring, and why staff should retain civil service status. We will keep members informed and as soon as we receive a response on this, issue a further briefing.
As a last resort PCS will ask members in shared services to take industrial action to defend our jobs and services.
What can you do
- Recruit a non member
- Go to - http://action.pcs.org.uk/page/speakout/save-our-shared-services and use the e-action to send a letter to your MP.
- Attend Branch meetings and feed in your views to your local reps.
- Support the PCS Campaign
Chris Baugh - PCS Assistant General Secretary
