PCS welcomes landmark insourcing win for 2,000 members
PCS has welcomed the decision to insource facilities management contracts managed by the Government Property Agency, bringing around 2,000 workers back into the civil service.
The workers, employed in a wide range of essential roles including catering, security officers, cleaners and porters, deliver vital support to a number of government departments.
Despite carrying out essential work alongside directly employed civil servants, most of these workers were employed by private companies on significantly less favourable pay, terms and conditions. This insourcing decision will improve the working lives of hundreds of members and help address the inequalities that have developed through outsourcing.
As well as improving conditions for workers, insourcing will deliver better value for money. PCS has long campaigned for services to be delivered directly for the public good, generating savings for the taxpayer and improving accountability, rather than allowing private companies to extract profits from publicly funded contracts.
The move will also tackle the multi-tier workforce that currently exists across government workplaces. Bringing these workers in-house will create greater parity, coherence and fairness in pay, terms and conditions, ensuring staff are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
The announcement proves that insourcing can be done and PCS hopes it will act as a catalyst for further action across government, particularly relating to Capita and the current civil service pension crisis.
PCS general secretary, Fran Heathcote said: “This is a huge victory for members and a clear vindication of our campaign for insourcing.
"For too long, outsourced workers have faced lower pay, poorer conditions and been treated as second-class citizens. Bringing around 2,000 workers back into the Civil Service will help end that unfairness, deliver better value for taxpayers and show that public services work best when they are delivered in the public interest, not for private profit.
"This achievement demonstrates what can be won through collective action. The government should now apply the same approach to other outsourced services, including pension administration.”