Public and Commercial Services Union
 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
Qinetiq staff in strike vote over pay freeze
The pay freeze comes despite a rise in underlying operating profits from £106 million in 2007 to £127 million in 2008.
The UK part of QinetiQ saw profits rise sharply by 30% in the 6 months till 30th September 2008.
Staff are angry that the company is using the recession as an excuse to freeze their pay whilst senior managers still receive large bonus payments.
Last year chief executive Graham Love received a bonus payment of over £230,000.
QinetiQ has attracted controversy since its privatisation which saw senior managers such as, Chief Executive Sir John Chisholm see his personal investment of £0.13 million increase to £26 million on flotation of the company.
On Thursday 21 May the company will post its end of year results with the company expected to again record substantial profits.
PCS represents 200 staff working in the guard service, administration and management positions for QinetiQ where starting salaries are as low as £13,000.
The ballot for strike action and industrial action short of a strike closes on the 29 May with the result announced shortly after.
We had hoped the company would be prepared to sit down and discuss a reasonable pay increase for staff to reflect the profits they are making
Commenting, Nick Radiven PCS negotiations officer for QinetiQ, said: "Our members are very angry about the pay freeze. We had hoped the company would be prepared to sit down and discuss a reasonable pay increase for staff to reflect the profits they are making.
"They were not prepared to do this which is why we are now balloting members for industrial action."
Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, added: "It is an absolute scandal that QinetiQ will give its senior managers huge bonus payments while offering staff absolutely nothing.
"Senior executives have made millions out of the controversial privatisation of QinetiQ and enjoyed returns of up to 20,000 per cent at the expense of the taxpayer, whilst using the excuse of the recession to freeze pay.
"If they want to avoid the threat of industrial action they need to quickly come back to the negotiating table."
