Around 100 workers are transferring over from Preston Council to Jackson Lloyd, a building maintenance firm, next week (Tuesday, 1st April). Jackson Lloyd has been awarded the contract to repair and maintain ex-council homes which are now managed by Community Gateway Association (CGA) and have offered an inferior pension scheme. Unite says that members are so angry that they are prepared to consider strike action once they transfer over to Jackson Lloyd.

Unite Regional Officer, Lawrence Chapple-Gill, said: “Our members feel very strongly on this matter. Whilst their accrued pension with Preston City Council will be frozen, they are unhappy that the new scheme on offer from Jackson Lloyd going forward is an inferior and inadequate scheme.

“If industrial action does go ahead, it could have a major impact on the maintenance and repair service to CGA tenants in Preston. We hope that a solution can be found so that this does not happen.”