Responding to today’s news that Carillion has gone into liquidation, UNISON South West regional secretary Joanne Kaye said:
“Private firms have played pass the parcel with Swindon’s Carillion employees and now the music has stopped.
“For health and school staff in the middle of a transfer from Carillion to yet another private firm running our public services, this is terrible news.
“The public authorities who pay for these contracts need to be clear that no worker will lose their job or pension as a result of this mismanagement by Carillion’s overpaid executives.
“People who rely on public services don’t have time for companies running them to go bust. They need a service every day of the week.
“It’s too risky to let irresponsible private companies run our public services. It’s time to bring these workers back in-house.”
Further information
- Carillion was contracted to provide maintenance in a number of Swindon schools (Swindon council being the contract holder), and also the portering, cleaning and catering service at Great Western Hospital
- GWH were in the process of transferring their Carillion contract to Serco, another private company paid to provide public services.
- Soft facilities management staff on the schools contract were being transferred to Sodexo, a similar firm. Hard facilities management staff were to remain with Carillion
