Outsourcing

About 18 months ago I was subjected to a compulsory transfer from one organisation to another due to restructuring or whatever name management comes up with as a pseudonym for cutting costs. We were given plenty of reassurances that we would not be disadvantaged by the transfer and blah blah blah...

I was transferred on what is know as a TUPE like agreement which is supposed to mean the rights and benefits from the previous employers are protected. What this actually meant in reality is that the rights and benefits were protected for 12 months. After that sure enough we were shafted and my pay scale dropped by three thousand a year.

The thing they are talking about now is outsourcing.  Supposedly as a means to increase the effectiveness of the organisation and not for a minute to do with shaving more money off the annual budget. Whilst being carefully non committal about pretty much everything it's plain to me that this is another step towards lower pay and poorer conditions.

Whilst I don't see the point of striking the words of Bendan Gold, a union spokesperson for the dock workers on strike in Dover to protest against the privatisation of their jobs did resonate loudly with me:

We as a union have been very well experienced in outsourcing and the affects that has on workers' terms and conditions of employment. There's a gradual but inevitable downturn in pay, hours and conditions of employment and pensions are not protected either.