Swansea IT staff lose outsourcing transfer fight

Swansea council IT staff appear to have finally lost their battle against a £100m outsourcing deal, after plans were approved to permanently transfer the workers to Capgemini.

Over 100 IT staff at Swansea went on an eight-week strike last year over the 'service@swansea' outsourcing plans, with trade union Unison claiming council leaders had failed to consult staff and evaluate an in-house alternative.

That strike was brought to an end last October after an agreement negotiated by arbitration service ACAS, and the council finally signed a ten-year £100m deal with Capgemini in December.

Part of the agreement was that the council and Capgemini would evaluate options for staff to remain in-house or be seconded rather than face a permanent TUPE transfer.

After examining these options, Swansea council's cabinet this week finally approved the initial plan for staff to transfer across to the private sector, despite a last-ditch campaign by Unison.

Councillor Mary Jones, cabinet member for service@swansea, said in a statement that a range of measures have been agreed with Capgemini to ensure protection of employment terms and conditions.

"These measures include the right not to have to work outside Swansea area. We have also been able to respond to their particular concerns regarding pensions, and employees will be able to remain in the local government pension scheme," she said.

Swansea council aims to save up to £72m over the next ten years through the outsourcing deal.