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by Conrad Landin
in south London
OUTSOURCED police security guards have been offered a better pay rise after four days of strike action — but the fight is still on.
Staff employed by French firm Engie concluded four days of industrial action yesterday with a demonstration outside the company’s London headquarters.
Rising living costs have left one worker so out of pocket that his family were forced to move out of London.
His lengthy commute to and from work means he leaves before his daughter wakes up — and returns when she has already gone to bed.
After originally offering a pay freeze that would have put workers at risk of falling below the living wage, independently calculated to cover what people actually need to live on and guaranteed in their contracts, reps say bosses have now caved into pressure.
Four non-consecutive strike days have led bosses to offer a 2 per cent pay-rise — up from 1.5 per cent before.
But workers organised by Civil Service union PCS are holding firm and chanted at yesterday’s picket: “What do we want? Five per cent! When do we want it? Now!”
One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Star: “Year on year they’ve eroded our pay. If it carried on like this, we’d be falling below the living wage.”
He said the strike, which hit police control centres in Hendon and Bow, had received solid support from guards.
The action had spurred on workers at other sites, he said, who were now signing up to the union.
PCS industrial officer Peter Olech said: “These are hard-working private-sector workers delivering a vital public service.
“Most importantly, they are first-time strikers on their fourth day of action, and the turnout has been 100 per cent.
“The action is inspiring other workers to get organised.”
The union has hit out at Engie chief executive Isabelle Kocher for an “eye-watering basic salary of over £1 million” while security guards have received a rise of just £1.06 over nine years.
PCS said it would cost Engie just £25,000 to settle the demand for a 5 per cent rise.
Engie could not be reached for comment.
