Capita TV Licensing Staff Back Planned Strike

Workers at TV Licensing's Darwen and Bristol offices have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay and conditions.

The workers, employed by the BBC's TV Licensing subcontractor Capita Business Services Ltd., are said to be "increasingly frustrated" at a below inflation pay offer of 2.6%, when the TV Licensing contract is believed to be hugely profitable for Capita.

Their decision to strike has been conveniently buried under the latest tranche of TV Licensing press releases about wacky licence-dodging excuses. These have also buried news about ex-TV Licensing enforcement officer Gary Catterick, who was recently convicted of raping a pregnant woman during his rounds.

The Communication Workers Union, representing many of the Capita workers, said it had been "inundated with complaints" over pay.

The CWU's Andy Furey told BBC News: "The enormous majority for strike action is hardly surprising when you consider the company's offer is little more than half the rate of inflation.

"We've been inundated by complaints from our hard-working members who are describing this 'offer' as a pay cut in real terms."

A spokesman for Capita, who also administer the Criminal Records Bureau and Teachers' Pension Scheme, said: "The offer made to Capita staff working on the TV licensing contract represents a minimum increase of 2.6% and 2.7% for 2010 and 2011 respectively.

"We think that this is a good and fair offer."

Capita Business Services Ltd. was awarded the 10 year TV Licensing operations contract in 2002. The BBC is due to announce the winner of the new contract later this year. Several other companies including IBM and Cap Gemini have made applications for the role.

Judging by the amount of hits we get here on the search term "TV Licensing IBM" it's a distinct possibility Capita will actually lose the contract.

Fingers crossed!