Unison
has welcomed ministers’ proposals to write a code of conduct for private sector
companies working in the public sector.
The
House of Commons Public Administration
Select Committee has recommended that a public service code be written into all
public sector outsourcing contracts to retain the public sector ethos by
upholding principles of openness, accountability, quality and reliability in
the services delivered.
Dave
Prentis, Unison general secretary, said: "This is a welcome step. Our
evidence to the committee highlighted the fact PFI/PPP is a secretive process
at odds with the public sector ethos displayed by our members daily. Contracts
take no account of staff commitment to public services and efficiencies are
usually at their expense.
"I
am pleased that the committee rejected contractors using a two-tier workforce.
We would like to see a binding ‘fair wages’ requirement in all public sector
contracts that protects the pay of all staff for the lifetime of the
contract."
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