Public and Commercial Services Union

The Ministry of Defence, along with other government departments, was directed in April 2008 by the prime minister to identify further cuts in administrative costs during the current comprehensive spending review period.

This follows on from the administrative cost regime (ACR) cuts already underway as part of the Streamlining and DE&S PACE programmes, which will see some 8,500 posts cut over the next three years.

The department has asked all TLBs to identify further areas, not affected by the ACR cuts identified above, that can be cut to meet this requirement. Possible targets again include staff numbers, travel and subsistence, training and facilities management costs, although staff numbers are again likely to bear the brunt.

Proposals will then go forward to the treasury in early October, to be announced by the Chancellor as part of the pre budget report.

Once again there has been no consultation or engagement with the trade unions on these proposals, which will mean thousands of jobs lost across the department. There is unlikely to be any further early release scheme to deal with such surpluses, instead the department is expected to ‘squeeze’ recruitment and rely upon increased natural wastage.

Reductions of this magnitude mean that it is critical that PCS secures agreements from the MOD on avoidance of compulsory redundancy and relocation, to back up the cabinet office protocols.

PCS has demanded a meeting with the secretary of state (letter below) to make clear our total opposition to these proposals; both in respect of the contempt shown to the trade unions by again failing to follow departmental procedures on consultation but also to highlight the crisis in morale and danger to support for the frontline that such arbitrary cuts represent.

We will also be working with branches and members to draw up a campaign of opposition to the proposals, highlighting the impacts on communities and operational support.

 

 

Secretary of State

Level 5, Zone D

Main Building

Whitehall

London SW1 2HB

 

Dear Secretary of State

PUBLIC VALUE PROGRAMME (PVP)

The NITU have asked me to write to express our deep disappointment at the way the PVP is progressing in the MOD. Once again, it appears that the Department plans to cut thousands more civilian jobs in the MoD without any meaningful consultation with the NITU.

Dr Hutton (D DEF RP) has met to brief the Trade Unions on two occasions. However the speed at which this far ranging study is being conducted and the complete lack of consultation at TLB level has meant that TU involvement is as an information recipient and we have not been given the opportunity to influence the outcome on behalf of our members.

The NITU now understand that the MoD’s response to PVP must be ready for the pre-budget statement in October and that this will mean submission to you before the end of September, not November as we were originally told. We therefore require a very early sight of this report in draft, an opportunity to comment and influence its contents and an early meeting with you to allow us to explain our concerns about this further manpower cut which is certain to have a detrimental impact on support to the Front Line.

Yours sincerely

Alan

ALAN WOOD
CCSU Chair
E-Mail : alan.wood326@mod.uk