CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation), a US multi-national is one of three companies bidding for the SPVA Future Contract. The others being HP (Hewlett Packard) and CAPITA.CSC Denmark is facing angry union action over the company's use of temporary Indian workers paid a fraction of normal Danish wages. CSC has had to warn customers of a possible lockout of union workers - about a third of its staff are Prosa (union)members. Some 120 CSC staff have returned building passes and laptops to the company while negotiations continue.
Prosa complains that CSC is bringing staff from India and paying them between 3,000 and 5,000 Danish Kroner a month - between £341 and £568. This is despite Danish immigration law which requires foreigners must earn at least 31,250 Kroner a month (£3,555). CSC insists that because staff get free accommodation and 8,500 Kroner a month in per diem expenses, the wage is fair.
Prosa's secretary, Hanne Lykke Jespersen, said: "This is gross exploitation of the Indians, who virtually live under slave-like conditions and cannot themselves decide whether they to go to Denmark." The union got involved after it was contacted by an Indian man working for CSC who complained he was not getting the money he was promised.
Jespersen said no one would know about the workers' conditions except for "one brave Indian".
Prosa was contacted by a CSC staffer who said he was promised 550 Kroner (£62.56) a day, plus his Indian monthly salary of 3,000 Kroner (£341) and an apartment. But on arrival in Denmark he was paid only 285 Kroner a day and given a flat which he was told cost 11,579 Kroner a month (£1,317). The union said few Danes would pay 11,579 Kroner for the small two-bed apartment.
Prosa said the employee in question had been sent back to India and after he resigned from CSC and was told he had to pay a penalty of 35,000 Danish Kroner (£3,980).
You can read more on this dispute at the Prosa union website here.
It isn't that the other bidders are squeaky clean though. Check out what HP have been up to here and here.
If you are an employee of any of the companies mentioned we would be very interested in hearing about your experiences.
