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DWP union news - weekly bulletin 28

9 July 2010

The latest news for members in DWP and CMEC.

Pay talks start Monday

Management in DWP and CMEC will meet PCS on Monday to discuss pay. The talks are likely to be very difficult set against the backdrop of the government’s public sector pay freeze. PCS will be arguing that all DWP staff must receive a pay rise – particularly given our fantastic achievements this year. We will be arguing that despite the government’s pay freeze on the cost of living element of our pay rise, we are still contractually entitled to a progression payment and we are currently seeking legal advice to back that up. We will be also argue that every available penny must be used to improve pay during these difficult economic times. Members want improved pay rates they can rely on, not bonuses they can’t.

PCS meets to discuss response to the cuts

More than 100 senior PCS reps and officials met in London this week to discuss member’s reaction to the most draconian public spending cuts in living memory. The meeting came a day after the government announced it intends to change the law to get round a High Court ruling that cuts to existing civil servants’ redundancy terms were unlawful.

The union warned that the drastic cuts to redundancy pay, under the civil service compensation scheme, would pave the way for mass job losses that will damage the essential services that its members provide to the public.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “The coalition government has wasted no time in setting about dismantling the public sector piece by piece, so we’re wasting no time in planning how to fight back.”

PCS fights cuts in DWP

We reported to the national union the threat to staffing in DWP and how cutting the staff in DWP allegedly to save money, when those staff are helping to save the treasury £Billions by getting people into work quicker and by reducing fraud and error makes no economic sense. We also reported the strong views of members on waste in DWP. Members have overwhelmingly responded pointing out the millions wasted in DWP through privatisation. Privatisation is by its nature wasteful because profit is creamed off at the tax payers expense but examples of private companies charging us hundreds of pounds to move a desk a few yards, £50 to change a clock battery, and overcharging for providing a worse service in the areas outsourced to them. We are being taken for a ride and yet there are proposals to increase privatisation. Massive savings could be made by bringing all privatised work and contracts in house.

The National Executive Committee meets next week to draw up our campaign.

MPs listen to our call for more staff

Hundreds of DWP PCS members have written to their MPs already about the need to maintain staffing levels in DWP. Many MPs have contacted PCS offering to help our campaign. MPs have been particularly moved by the plight of our FTA members who have worked so hard to help people off the dole and are now threatened with the dole queue themselves. If you haven’t already done so, contact your MP today and ask them to sponsor our Early Day Motion on staffing in DWP as well.

Keep the pressure up

As unemployment continues to rise with predictions of 70 graduates chasing every job, pressure on DWP services could lead to service delivery failures in the peak leave season and massive pressures on members. Darra Singh indicated when we met him last week that he would keep this under constant review and he agreed to meet us again in August to discuss Jobcentre Plus staffing and the future of the FTAs.

Downloadable version:   DWP Union News - Weekly Bulletin 28

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