The Two Tier Workforce and Fair Wages
Over the past 20 years, tens of thousands of staff have been transferred from public authorities to private contractors. Most of these will have conditions protected when they transfer, but newer staff taken on after transfer usually face worse pay and conditions, leading to a two tier workforce.
UNISON has won important protection against the two-tier workforce, but they do not protect all workers in every situation. UNISON therefore continues to campaign for an end to the two-tier workforce and for fair wages resolution in public contracting that will protect the pay, conditions and pensions of all staff providing public services, regardless of who employs them. Such a clause would also ensure that private contractors could not compete for contracts on the basis of lower pay and conditions and it would remove incentives to privatise in order to achieve savings on labour costs.
In order to strengthen the Two Tier Code Joan Walley MP has put down an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons and we need as many MPs as possible to sign it in order to show the government just how important this protection is. Please write to your MP and ask them to sign up to EDM 1009.
Early Day Motion EDM 1009
Walley, Joan
That this House expresses concern that public sector workers contracted out to the private and voluntary sectors are working alongside new employees doing identical jobs but on worse terms and conditions; calls upon those local authorities who are ignoring guidance laid out in the Two Tier Workforce Code to apply the Code to all public sector workers employed by contractors; and urges the Government during the current review of the Code to re-issue it as a mandatory directive, including a National Performance Indicator in the new Comprehensive Area Assessment System, introducing a simple means of redress for non-compliance, and raising the national awareness of the Code through a high-profile launch.For more information and to view the MPs that have signed the EDM:
UK Parliament website
More infomation
Letter to your MP Justice for Contracted Public |Service Workers:
UNISON's concerns about the revised Two-Tier WorkforceCode
Fair Wages: How to end the two tier workforce in public services and achieve fair wages [PDF]Background about our campaign to end the two-tier workforce
Best Value Code of Practice guidanceJustice for Contracted Public Service Workers: UNISON's concerns about the revised 'Two Tier Workforce' code:
Revised Two tier Worforce codeBest Value and Procurement Workforce Matters in Best Value Authority Contracting:
Acrobat PDF
