Public and Commercial Services Union

Make your voice heard at your local annual general meeting

Every branch in the DWP group will hold an annual general all members meeting through February. These meetings discuss amongst other issues motions to the unions group and national conference in May. Many branches will be discussing motions on pay and the national and group pay campaigns. Make sure your voice is heard by attending this important meeting in your branch and have your say about your pay.

Inflation falls

This week it was announced that the Retail Price Index (RPI) hit an all time low at 0.1%, mainly as a result of reductions in interest rates, VAT costs and petrol prices. However members still face the continuation of big price rises in 2008 on food, electricity, gas and travel fares, so our 3-year rejected offer remains woefully inadequate, even with these reductions in inflation.

Improve our pay

Further talks are taking place about the national agreement achieved in December, to improve pay for members, and discussions in bargaining units are aimed at testing these commitments. In DWP, PCS will be arguing strongly in the coming talks for full consolidation of last year’s award and improvements to the imposed 3 year offer.

Talks continue with DWP management

Further meetings have taken place this week to take forward our discussions which we believe could lead to us reaching agreement on much needed improvements in managing attendance, the new system to replace PDS, improved family friendly policies, an improved employee relations framework and on pay.

Two further meetings to discuss the detail of any potential offer have been planned over the next two weeks and the DWP GEC will be meeting on 5 March will receive a full report of these further detailed negotiations. More information about these talks, the GEC discussion and decisions will be issued after the 5 March meeting.

DWP in the news again

There has been considerable media coverage this week of the response of DWP, and particularly Jobcentre Plus, to the unprecedented increases in unemployment.

PCS welcomes the message to all staff from the Jobcentre Plus chief executive recognising the 'incredibly hard work and dedication of staff'. As well as thanking members for going the extra mile DWP must also ensure their hard work is properly rewarded through their pay and conditions.