Hundreds strike over company's 'derisory' pay

Hundreds of staff striking after what a union said was a "derisory" pay offer from a company will continue action on Friday.

Some of about 250 workers striking at Diligenta in Reading picketed its offices in Forbury Place on Thursday, along with others in Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling.

Dan Pearse, an organiser at Unite the Union, said the dispute started in January 2025 and that the company, which processes administration for insurance companies, was "pleading poverty" before it paid out millions of pounds in dividends.

Diligenta, a subsidiary of Tata Consultancy Services, was approached to comment.

Diligenta staff took other strike action earlier this month but it did not lead to the dispute being resolved.

"They have refused to give these workers a pay rise for 2025 so we balloted for industrial action and overwhelmingly [they voted] for industrial action and workers are out here fighting for dignity at work," Pearse said.

"This is after years of under-inflation pay, so [they had] real terms pay cuts for years. These workers have had enough."

He added: "The thing that is going to make it stop is a decent offer which is fair and reasonable that these members can vote on and accept."