Capita TV Licensing Workers Join Public Sector Strike

Capita employees working on the BBC's TV Licensing contract will abandon their desks for a fourth time next Wednesday, when they join public sector colleagues for a day of industrial action.

Unless the Government strikes a last minute deal with the unions an estimated 2 million public sector workers will be staging their first walkout in what could be a protracted campaign against pay and pension reforms.

Communication Workers Union assistant secretary Andy Furey said: "There are many similarities between what our members are fighting for - a fair pay rise - and the dispute that public-sector workers are in - seeking fair and affordable pensions.

"We both face powerful employers who say they can't afford more. In our case the truth is the company makes over £1m profit every day and gives its senior executives generous pay rises, while in the case of public-sector workers the costings by independent parties like ONS show that the government's changes aren't necessary for affordable funding.

"In both cases there are political and ideological forces at play.

"We're here to speak for people who being treated wrongly. We want to resolve this dispute through negotiation and I'm again appealing to Capita to return to talks to resolve this dispute before Christmas."

A spokesman for Capita responded to the news, saying: "Capita remains convinced that our offer of a minimum pay rise of 2.6 per cent for 2010 and 2.7 per cent for 2011 is fair."

The Capita workers at the centre of this dispute must really despise their greedy penny-pinching employers, but not nearly as much as we do!

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.