Union claims Serco have agreed to reform employment practices
Parking restrictions being enforced again in Ealing borough
The long running dispute between outsourcing company Serco and civil enforcement officers working on behalf of Ealing Council appears to have been resolved.
Unite the Union says Serco has issued an apology over ‘union busting tactics’ and agreed to reform employment practices.
Nearly 50 staff who are employed by Serco on the Ealing council parking enforcement contract, will now return to work after taking strike action since early May.
The dispute was over claims that the company had deliberate targeted union activists for severance and the policy on absence.
Serco has signed an agreement with Unite implementing new anti-bullying and harassment measures, adding additional protections against dismissal within the absence policy and improving the terms governing compassionate leave.
Industrial action was suspended last month after progress was made at talks at the conciliation service Acas and a two day strike due to start on Monday (2 August) was cancelled. Further action due to take place between 4-15 August will now not take place.
Unite regional officer Clare Keogh said, “Our members stood together on the picket line for three months to protect their trade union and collective bargaining rights.
“They understand that employers would much prefer workers to be atomised and unable to organise as a group to defend themselves and seek improvements to pay and terms and conditions.
“Unite’s position remains that public contracts, such as parking enforcement in Ealing, should be taken out of the hands of outsourcers and brought back inhouse by local authorities.
“The union, however, looks forward to improved industrial relations with Serco in Ealing now that this dispute has ended.”
Ealing Council leader Peter Mason posted on Twitter, “Very happy to see SERCO has apologised and the dispute with @unitetheunion over Ealing’s parking enforcement is now concluded.
“We’re committed to extending and protecting trade union rights in the workplace of our workers and for Ealing residents…
“@deirdrecostigan and I met with civil enforcement officers on the contract recently to understand their experiences working both directly for the council & for SERCO. As a new administration, we’ve committed to exploring insourcing public services as our first choice…
“We’re going to be using the full force of the council’s spending power in our borough, as well as a major player in our local economy to: deliver good jobs, drive up pay and the LLW [London Living Wage], drive out zero hours contracts. And much more.”
Serco have asked for a comment.
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August 5, 2021
