Public and Commercial Services Union

If after a review and use of a Public Sector Comparator it is decided that the service will be put out to tender, the bargaining unit could consider pressing management to submit an in-house bid. 

But it is crucial that an in-house bid is prepared by the employers' HR department. PCS should not itself prepare an in-house bid. To do so involves the risk of fatally compromise the union, as the production of a credible bid - i.e one that could beat other bidders - may mean endorsing job cuts and some worsening of members' terms and conditions. If, though, an in-house bid was prepared by management, PCS could and should participate - through full consultation at every stage - to do our best to ensure  those members' interests were protected, always ensuring we do not compromise our independence and national policies. 

The first priority of the union is to retain in-house provision of services - both for the benefit of the service user and the staff. The best method for achieving this is by members working closely with full-time officials. However, sometimes logical argument, campaigning and even industrial action are not enough to stop the contracting-out process.

If this is the case, it is vital that members are closely involved in the decision-making and in pre-decision meetings. Members must be informed and consulted.

Never:

• Agree that the trade union side put together the in-house bid. This is a very specialist area and needs proper professional resources. The contractors you will be competing against will have an actual department that puts together bids on a daily basis.
• Agree to anything you do not fully understand.
• Agree to sit on committees if you are not familiar with the technicalities of the process
• Go ahead in the process with out consulting full-time union officials

Always:

• Gain assurances that the employer's HR department are properly resourced to progress an in-house bid. This means getting human resource management personnel to undertake the written and analytical parts of the bid in conjunction with the TU side.
• Make sure you have enough time allocated to construct the bid
• Make sure you are represented in all the appropriate committees
• Make sure you are allowed input before decisions are made
• Ensure you have informed union HQ and have clear lines of accountability
• Ensure you negoatiate terms of reference, and that you and your members have a clear understanding of your remit.