UNISON ask contractors to respond to our questions

Background:

There is now only one private contractor bidding for the Education & School Meals services Mott MacDonald trading under Cambridge Education. They do not have experience of providing Catering Services so they have formed a partnership with ISS who will deliver the Catering Service. As there is only one bidder it is highly likely that these contractors will be given the contract sometime in November this year.

Our members had the chance to meet the contractors on Thursday and asked some interesting questions. Unfortunately the detailed discussions about the future of the services will be take place in secret with the trade unions and staff unable to know what is in store for staff & the service.

UNISON has submitted the questions below to the Council and have asked them to pass them onto Cambridge Education & ISS.

Cambrdge Education currently have a contract with Slough and ISS have lots of big contracts. We understand that ISS are currently providing a Catering service to Woodridge School a Barnet School.

We sent the following email to all our members on Friday 10 July.

Dear Colleagues

Barnet UNISON has submitted the following questions to Cambridge Education & ISS.

The Education and Skills questions apply to both contractors. The Catering Services questions apply specifically to ISS.

Education and Skills

1. Will each contractor provide a guarantee that the bulk of the current workforce will remain employed in Barnet?

2. What are the planned staffing levels for each service after transfer?

3. What protection of terms and conditions, such as the London Living Wage, will be offered to transferred staff over and above TUPE?

4. What measures will each contractor take to prevent a two-tier workforce and excessive use of temporary/casual staff?

5. What are the contractors approach to industrial relations with trade unions and how will they be managed within the JVC?

6. What plans does Cambridge Education have to improve the quality of services and when do they anticipate implementing them?

7. Does Cambridge Education and ISS plan to subcontract other Education and Skills services, if so, which ones and what are the names of the contractors?

8. How does Cambridge Education plan to increase traded income of the Education and Skills services;

a. within Barnet

b. outside the Borough

9. What proposals do Cambridge Education and ISS have engaging with staff and trade unions in the planning and delivery of services?

10. How will the contractors workforce development policies be applied in the Barnet JVC, and if there any differences between the two contractors, how will these be developed into a common policy for the JVC?

11. How will the two contractors coordinate and develop a common approach in the search for traded income when there are distinctive differences between their respective markets?

12. Will the JVC take on responsibility for the accrued Pension Deficit as at the transfer date?

13. Will the JVC and contractors be required to use current corporate services, for example, Capita CSG, Re, accommodation?

Catering Service

14. What process did Cambridge Education use to select ISS to be their subcontractor?

15. Has Cambridge Education experience of managing an ISS subcontract in the past, and if so, which public body?

16. What experience does Cambridge Education have in managing and monitoring a catering contract operated by a multinational catering contractor?

17. What mechanisms will be in place in the Joint Venture to review the performance of the subcontractor?

18. What plans does ISS have to improve the quality of school meals and how will they be implemented?

19. How does ISS plan to increase traded income of the Catering Service:

a. within Barnet

b. outside the Borough

We will publish any responses to our members.

John Burgess Branch Secretary Barnet UNISON