Massive vote for strike at controversial IT firm

13 May 2013 12:07 PM

A US-based multinational computer firm previously mired in controversy over a troubled NHS IT programme is accused by PCS of stoking a dispute on its new defence contract.

Problems surrounding the NHS National Programme for IT led to Computer Science Corporation's (CSC) involvement being significantly stripped back and the company reportedly writing off $1.5 billion of investment.

Now the union's members who work for CSC on a key Ministry of Defence contract administering pay and pensions for the armed forces have voted overwhelmingly to strike over a derisory 0.5% pay offer and the firm's refusal to allow some staff to be properly represented by their union.

In a ballot of the union's 300 SPVA members, 92.5% voted for a strike and almost 98% voted for other forms of industrial action, on a 58% turnout.

Despite the NHS controversy, CSC took over the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) contract from Hewlett Packard last November.

The union wrote to the MoD at the time expressing concern over CSC's poor track record and saying that, as the lowest bidder, it would be impossible for CSC to make a profit without significantly cutting costs.

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