Public and Commercial Services Union

Following the national agreement reached with the government in December we are working to improve pay for members. At national level negotiations are ongoing over the 2009/10 Treasury pay remit guidance (the document that sets the pay agenda for Departments). Discussions in bargaining units are now testing the commitment we feel the government has given to access more money through recycling efficiency savings for pay, and that there is no 2% pay cap. The real test will be whether the agreement delivers more money into members’ pockets.

FURTHER PAY TALKS PLANNED
Meetings with DWP management are planned for next week. Although the remit has yet to be published further progress can be made on how any money identified as savings can be spent, as well as making further progress on the outstanding DWP specific issues such as managing attendance, PDS redundancy avoidance and industrial relations.

Your GEC firmly believes that we should be able to reach agreement in the near future. Reaching agreement on these important improvements for members would help improve morale and send a positive message about the improving relationship between the union and the Department.

JOBLESSNESS INCREASED
UK unemployment rose to 1.97 million between October and December. The jobless number climbed 146,000 for the three-month period, data from the Office for National Statistics showed. For December, the number of those getting jobseeker's allowance added 73,800 to reach 1.23 million.

With such dramatic increases in the workloads of all DWP staff surely now is the time for management and the government to recognise our hard work by rewarding us properly and improving our terms and conditions appropriately.

DWP TOP MANAGERS BONUS
In the same week Gordon Brown urged top bankers to waive their bonuses a parliamentary question (PQ) revealed the amount being paid to top managers in DWP.

The PQ exposed the average bonus payment for most DWP staff (from AA to Grade 6 level) was less than £200 (£21.5 million between 107,518 staff). However at the same time as we are taking home miserly bonuses for our hard work and commitment in these difficult times senior managers appear to be paying themselves much, much more.

Indeed, a total of £1.82 million was paid out to 208 senior DWP managers. An average bonus payment of £8,750 each!

Yet another example of how unfair performance bonuses are. PCS will continue to argue that the bonus pot including the special bonus pot, should be used to address the appalling low pay in DWP.