PCS hails 'first time in unions history’ that national action has forced government to make concessions on national pay
Civil servants have been offered a new pay deal with improved concessions including a one-off cost of living payment, in what the PCS union has called a ‘significant’ new offer from the government.
However staff in the civil service will continue their targeted strike action across government departments in the UK despite the new proposal, as the union plans further meetings with ministers to discuss the details of the deal.
The announcement comes after MP Jeremy Quin confirmed in a meeting with the union last Friday that the government will make ‘significant concessions’ related to pay, redundancy terms and job security.
Civil servants have been engaged in ongoing, targeted industrial action since February involving 123 government departments and representing the largest industrial action in the union’s history.
This latest announcement would reflect another milestone, as the first time in the union’s history that their member’s actions have forced the government to make concessions on pay at a national level.
PCS members have taken 118 days of targeted strike action in the first phase of their strike stratergy and a further 186 days in the second phase, alongside 3 days of national action.
Included in the government’s proposal is a nonconsolidated lump sum of £1,500 for cost of living pressures in 2022/23, something that was missing from the last government offer despite being given in pay deals to other striking public service workers.
An increase in the headline pay remit figure from 2% to 4.5% with an extra 0.5% for the lowest paid for 2023/24 is being offered, along with a commitment to further talks on low pay and on strengthening redundancy avoidance measures.
It comes after the union said their members sustained industrial action could continue until Christmas and were looking to increase union coordination in strikes going forward.
In an announcement to members, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the union hadn’t decided to end current strikes taking place yet or ballot members, instead using the next month as a time to engage with employers and ‘making them pay the money without conditions’.
Serwotka said the next month will be a time for members and branches to come together and discuss their views on the way forward, as, in one month’s time, members will have to address what direction they wish to go in. Whether they wish to take ‘significantly more’ industrial action to try and get more out of the government, or to settle the dispute on the progress made so far.
The union will enter further discussions with the Cabinet Office at the end of June in order to gain assurance that the £1,500 lump sum is offered without conditions.
Hannah Davenport is trade union reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward’s trade union reporting is supported by the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust
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