CLEANERS at the Old Bailey are balloting on strike action against the City of London Corporation’s plans to outsource workers.

The Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union (CAIWU), which represents the workers, said that the decision represents a “significant betrayal” of public-sector workers, “undermining the very promises of in-sourcing made by the Labour government.”

A union spokesperson said: “Our members at the Old Bailey have been left in the dark, with no consultation on this drastic change.

“They now live in fear of what this outsourcing will mean for their jobs, their pay and their working conditions.

“It is appalling that, under a government that promised to reverse these exploitative practices, we are still seeing public-sector workers cast aside in pursuit of cost-cutting measures.”

The CAIWU is urging the Corporation to halt plans, which it called a “direct attack on the rights and livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable workers in society,” or face industrial action.

A City of London Corporation spokesperson said: “The proposed transfer to OCS would have a range of benefits, including improved cleaning services and access to industry best practice.

“As a responsible employer, the proposed move is fair and compliant with industry standards, and fully adheres to the legal obligations and protections provided by TUPE regulations.

“Cleaning staff and trade unions are being consulted and TUPE regulations ensure that all employees retain their current terms and conditions of permanent employment, including salary, working hours, length of service and holiday entitlements.

“There are no plans for redundancies and staff will continue to deliver the cleaning service to the Central Criminal Court without interruption.

“Employees who are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme will remain in the pension scheme and continue to accumulate benefits under their existing LGPS arrangements with all rights and future benefits legally protected.”