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Labour councils told: ditch privateers

UNIONS in Yorkshire are calling on Labour councils to stop granting contracts for private firms to provide public services.

Yorkshire and Humber TUC annual conference in Bradford heard how privateers slash wages and working conditions to make profits from public services.

Steve Collins of Unison pointed to the case of the Kinsley Three — women school cleaners whose jobs were transferred to Barnsley privateer C&D.

The company reduced pay to the minimum wage and tore up agreements on holidays, sick pay and pensions.

The women went on strike. Soon after returning to work they were sacked.

“They were sacked on trumped up allegations and a rigged disciplinary procedure — allegations of ‘religious hatred’ because they dressed up at Hallowe’en. They just want to do their jobs. They can’t because their jobs were privatised,” he said.

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