A strike by security guards and cleaners who work at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has been cancelled.
PCS said it has suspended the industrial action, which was due to begin this week, after “intensive talks with management and the government resulted in improved offers”.
The union said it “feels there is room to potentially negotiate a final deal”.
PCS was seeking a pay increase to £17 an hour, plus improved in terms and conditions that would "move towards alignment" with those of civil servants employed by DESNZ. The strikes had been due to start yesterday and continue through to Friday before the breakthrough in talks.
Fran Heathcote, PCS’s general secretary, said the union was “pleased to have received an improved offer from the employer” but also reiterated the union’s plea for the government to bring this and other outsourced contracts back in-house.
“The government must deliver its pre-election promise of bringing about the biggest wave of insourcing of public services in a generation,” she said.
“They should start by bringing this ISS contract in-house and ending the two-tier workforce."
A spokesperson for ISS UK&I said: "We value the contribution of every ISS team member and are pleased this action has been suspended following our offer. We look forward to continuing to deliver vital services to the departments’ staff and visitors.”