PCS: Low-paid agency workers forced to take leave for royal wedding

PCS: Low-paid agency workers forced to take leave for royal wedding

PCS: Low-paid agency workers forced to take leave for royal wedding

Workers employed by Kelly Services employment agency on government contracts have voted almost unanimously to support a strike ballot if they are forced to take annual leave for the royal wedding, the Public and Commercial Services union announces.

The agency has refused to grant its staff a day’s paid leave for what is a public holiday, despite allowing it for its own full time permanent workers.

The agency staff work on central government contracts run by Hewlett Packard, including providing benefits delivery for the Department for Work and Pensions at an office in Washington in the north east of England, and pay and pensions services for the Armed Forces from a site in Glasgow.

The workers are paid around £6.50 an hour and their terms and conditions are set at statutory minimums. Kelly is a Fortune 500 company and reported revenue of $5 billion in 2010.

In a consultative ballot of the union’s 80 members across the two offices, 75% voted with 95% saying they would back a ballot for strike action.

Both sites will be closed for the royal wedding – with DWP, Ministry of Defence and other Hewlett Packard staff given the day off with pay – so Kelly staff will not have the opportunity to work.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “It is shameful that such a wealthy company that pays its workers so little, can’t even bring itself to give staff a day off for the royal wedding.

“All we’re asking is for equal treatment for agency workers. Hopefully Kelly will see sense but if it doesn’t, our members have made it absolutely clear they are prepared to strike.”

ENDS

Notes

– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216

– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich – on Twitter @janicegodrich

– Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union