Louise Haigh, secretary of the Unite parliamentary staff branch, said: “The way MPs’ staff are employed is archaic, having developed over decades without any serious reform. When IPSA was established, it was hoped they would improve and professionalise this system – but they have singularly failed to do so.”
MPs’ offices are treated as 650 small businesses – which is curious as they are paid from the public purse, do essential work as part of the democratic process but have pay and working conditions determined centrally by IPSA.
Ms Haigh said: “Staff have woefully inadequate employment protection, next to useless disciplinary and grievance procedures and no rights to protect them from the whims of their sometimes appalling employers. As a group, MPs’ 3,000 staff are incredibly vulnerable.
“The close relationship MPs have with their staff, and lack of management structure, means staff are in many cases unwilling to bring grievances against their boss, even in situations where the law has clearly been broken.
“There is no support of any kind from IPSA or the House authorities for staff, yet the authorities provide extensive assistance to MPs in cases against staff, and still there is no recognised trade union.”
Staff working at Westminster hope the letter from Unite – setting out in detail all the matters in dispute – will bring matters with IPSA to a head.
