UNISON hits out at plans to end two-tier workforce agreement
UNISON hits out at plans to end two-tier workforce agreement
Government withdraws protection for low paid workers
UNISON, the UK's largest public service union, today reacted angrily to news that the government is to abolish the two tier fair employment code, saying it heralded a "race to the bottom". The code is designed to ensure that companies who take over public sector contracts, provide pay and conditions for new staff broadly comparable to that of the former public sector staff, they work alongside.
Dave Prentis General Secretary of UNISON, said:
"This is another attack on mainly low paid women workers. The two tier code is essential to stop companies that are in the process of bidding for public sector contracts, competing on how low they can pay their staff. Even many companies that bid for these contracts are privately worried that this will result in a "race to the bottom" in pay and conditions. The new Principles of Good Employment Practice are purely voluntary. With no enforcement mechanism these will have no bite and are merely wishful thinking on the part of the government.
"This move will hit many low paid women workers hard, particularly catering and cleaning staff, and UNISON is calling on the government to carry out an equality impact assessment as a matter of urgency.
"We do not want to see a return to the bad old days of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT), introduced by the last Tory government, which resulted in big cuts in pay and conditions, a huge turnover in staff and ultimately worse standards in public services."
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