Government Property Agency, ISS and outsourced workers

That this House is extremely concerned about the Government Property Agency’s handling of the transfer of facilities management services from Mitie to ISS with respect to the implications for workers whose employment has transferred; notes that the pay arrangements for cleaners and caterers are being shifted from a monthly to a bi-weekly basis; believes that the shorter frequency will make it harder for workers to pay their monthly rent, mortgage and other essential bills, and that such regular fluctuation in pay dates and amounts can have serious detrimental consequences for workers claiming Universal Credit; notes that the changes represent a unilateral variation to the workers’ contracts of employment made without the agreement of the individual employees affected and their representatives in the Public and Commercial Services Union; fears that these changes are discriminatory as they have only been applied to a section of the workforce in which BAME women are more likely to be employed; and therefore calls on the Government Property Agency to require ISS to align pay arrangements for caterers and cleaners with those of their monthly salaried staff.