FOREIGN Secretary David Lammy has cancelled a planned visit to Scotland, a trade union has said.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said that the Labour Cabinet Secretary had been due to visit the Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office in East Kilbride next week – the same day strike action is due to begin.
Cleaning and catering workers at the East Kilbride site, employed by the outsourced OCS Group, will walk out on September 18 and 19 amid a dispute over pay, terms, and conditions.
PCS said that workers employed by OCS were earning less than those employed directly by the Foreign Office.
Lammy had been due to visit on the 18th, PCS said, but has now cancelled.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Whilst we are pleased the Foreign Secretary won’t be crossing our picket line, we believe he has a role to play in resolving the dispute.
“We would welcome a discussion about keeping his government’s commitment to ‘the biggest wave of insourcing of public services for a generation’.
“There’s no excuse for our members employed by OCS to be earning less than those working direct for David Lammy’s department.
“We call on him as the minister to meet with us urgently to discuss the dispute and the wider commitment to bringing our members in-house.”
PCS also announced three further strike day, on September 24, 25, and 26.
The trade union said it is demanding an increase to annual leave and the introduction of company sick pay for those who currently have no entitlement to contractual sick pay.
The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.
