Shared services members in DWP and DEFRA to strike on 25 Oct 2013

PCS served notices to DWP, DEFRA and civil service head Sir Bob Kerslake informing them of strike action called for Friday 25 October.

Our members working in shared services for DWP and DEFRA are taking the action to protect jobs and services and to safeguard the personal data of thousands of their fellow workers.

The staff involved face privatisation on 1 November with the threat of site closures, redundancies and off-shoring to follow.

In addition all members in DWP and DEFRA face having their private data off-shored along with those of tens of thousands of other civil servants.

UKSBS (the shared services arm of BIS) is also scheduled to become part of Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL) - the private company involved - from 2015. SSCL is expected to bid for further civil service work in the future.

This current round of shared services privatisation follows on from the privatisation of DFT shared services in June this year.

The one-day strike by our members working in shared services - HR, procurement, finance. They are acting to protect jobs and services and safeguard the personal data of thousands of their fellow workers.

Staff and services are due to be transferred to private sector company Steria on 1 November, including at a site in deputy prime minister Nick Clegg's Sheffield Hallam constituency. Steria intends to cut staff and offshore work within 12 months of the transfer date. 

You can play your part to oppose the plans by emailing Clegg to tell him to stop the privatisation.

In addition, all members in DWP and Defra face having their private data offshored along with those of tens of thousands of other civil servants.

This current round of shared services privatisation follows on from outsourcing at the Department for Transport in June.

A number of other departments are actively considering using private sector companies to run shared services.

Take the protest to Clegg

The sites involved are in Newcastle, Alnwick, York, Sheffield, Cardiff and Blackpool.

We are demonstrating outside Nick Clegg's constituency office from noon tomorrow urging him to stop the privatisation and protect jobs and services which are due to be outsourced.

What you can do:

Complete the e-action urging Clegg to stop privatisation.

Join the lobby of Clegg's office from noon: 85 Nethergreen Rd, Sheffield, S11 7EH

Send messages of support to solidarity@pcs.org.uk