Workers contracted to the Metropolitan police vote for strike
action
21 December 2011
Unite members from the special events division of support
services company Interserve FM Ltd, who are contracted to the
Metropolitan Police Service, have voted for strike action
commencing midnight tonight (Thursday, 22 December) in a
long-running dispute over pay.
Staff from Interserve’s main depot in Wimbledon and also from
the New Scotland Yard police station will commence action from
00.01 tonight for 24 hours. A further five days of action is
planned for the 2012, see notes. Action will also include a work to
rule and will include an overtime ban which will rule out callouts
over the Christmas break.
The 65 workers taking action, which include plumbers,
electricians and fitters, assist the Metropolitan police in London
work on a myriad of special events including all the recent marches
through London.
Talks with Interserve, which have lasted over a year, have
failed to resolve the pay claim dispute. Despite a verbal agreement
made through Acas, the company came back two days later and
dismissed the entire agreement, stating that its board had refused
the pay claim.
Unite regional officer, Guy Langston, said: “We have attempted
to engage the company in talks via Acas, however, the company has
turned down the offer and our members now feel they have no option
but to take industrial action.
“Interserve has also announced that Unite does not have
collective bargaining rights - this is a complete falsehood.
Bargaining rights were established before Interserve won the
contract where our members were TUPE’d over from the Metropolitan
police - where we still enjoy full bargaining rights.
“The company is attempting to impose a derogatory pay rise on
its workforce. Our members are amongst the lowest paid group within
the company and remain strong and committed to a negotiated pay
rise. They take action with a heavy heart, but feel that their
employer has left them very little choice.”
There is no current offer and Unite has lodged a further claim
for 2.25% from 2010 to 2011 including an equalisation of the pay
grades.
Guy Langston added: “An attempt yesterday to get a meeting with
Interserve to resolve the dispute failed, as both Unite and Acas
were available, but Interserve was not – therefore the planned
action will go ahead. There is a meeting scheduled early in the New
Year with Interserve and Acas and we would hope we can come to a
negotiated settlement.”
ENDS
For further information contact Guy Langston on 07879 691874 or
Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 3371 2061 or
07980 224761.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
There will be two picket lines from 00.01 tonight at the below
addresses:
WHEN: 00.01, Thursday, 22 December 2011
WHERE: Interserve FM, 19-21 Lyon Road, Wimbledon, SW19 2RL.
New Scotland Yard, 8-10 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BG
Further action planned:
One day stoppage commencing at 00:01 hours, Friday, 6 January
2012
One day stoppage commencing at 00:01 hours, Thursday, 26 January
2012
One day stoppage commencing at 00:01 hours, Friday, 27 January
2012
One day stoppage commencing at 00:01 hours, Monday, 27 February
2012
One day stoppage commencing at 00:01 hours, Tuesday, 28 February
2012
