News

Following the introduction of the UK’s ‘national living wage’, referred to by PCS as a new minimum wage rate for over-25s, ISS announced that it would make cuts in order to claw back the pay increase from its staff who clean HMRC premises.

PCS opposed this “takeback” saying cleaning staff would be forced to work fewer hours and under worse conditions due to declining cleaning standards.  These issues have been taken up with the department as well as with ISS.

Cleaners in Merseyside, organised in Bootle Taxes and Liverpool City Branches, responded to these attacks by organisomg. They have collectively submitted letters voicing their opposition to and disagreement with the cuts and staged protests. In conjunction with PCS, they collectively put forward the following demands:

• A reversal of staffing cuts implemented following the introduction of the government’s ‘national living wage’ of £7.20 per hour,
• Paying the actual Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation, currently set at £8.25 per hour, to all cleaners, also seeking £10 per hour for supervisors,
• Occupational sick pay and annual leave entitlements in line with public employees, and
• A workload agreement to reduce strain on staff.

Unfortunately, negotiations yielded no movement from the company, which has pressed ahead with their cuts and is refusing to discuss further any pay rise or improvement in terms and conditions. As a result, PCS members voted to support a ballot for industrial action.

ISS members on Merseyside delivered a 100% vote for strike action. With this strong mandate, PCS will be pushing ISS to return to the negotiating table. However, if they do not, worker actions will begin with a strike on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 July 2016. This will cover all six HMRC buildings in Liverpool and Bootle.

PCS has placed its demands on behalf of all cleaning staff working for ISS at the HMRC estate, and although those in Merseyside are the first to take action, as events progress other ISS members are encouraged to join these actions.  This will require a separate ballot which PCS will coordinate. 

Messages of solidarity from branches, local trades’ councils, other organisations and individuals are all welcome and should be sent to NWRC@pcs.org.uk