Public and Commercial Services Union

Campaigning for fair pay increases

This issue of Informed gives a report of the decisions taken at the NEC meeting held on 15–17 April 2008.

Following our national agreement with the Cabinet Office to improve the protection of members from compulsory redundancy, the NEC agreed that stepping-up our campaigning for fair pay increases must become a priority.

Our national policy is to secure changes to the Treasury Remit which will lead to pay increases that, as a minimum, protect our members’ living standards.

In September last year PCS successfully moved a motion at the TUC Congress calling on the TUC to bring together as many public sector unions as possible to undertake joint campaigning and coordinated action against the government’s unfair policy of keeping pay increases for public sector workers to well below the rate of inflation.

Since then important progress toward building this unity has been made.When the NEC met preparations were well underway for strike action on 24 April involving PCS members in the DWP, the Home Office, Department of Transport and Land Registry. They will take strike action alongside teachers and lecturers in the NUT and UCU.

The NEC agreed that this coordinated strike action by over 400,000 public servants marked a significant escalation of our campaign for fair pay. However, it is likely that further political and industrial campaigning will be needed to pressurise the government into changing its policy.

Our pay lobby at Westminster on 11 March, which was attended by over 100 MPs, was an important step toward building the necessary political pressure. PCS will also be playing a full part in the lobby of MPs being organised by the TUC on 9 June.

How we develop our pay campaign will be a key debate at our annual delegate conference in May.

National pay and conditions

A key demand of our national campaign is for a national pay system that puts an end to staff doing the same job getting paid vastly different salaries. Our campaigning has led to the creation of a Joint Task Team involving PCS and the Cabinet Office to explore the implications of developing ‘job groups’ for staff at AA, AO and EO levels across civil service departments. We are discussing what common pay and progression arrangements could look like. Weekly meetings
are taking place. However, given the complexity of existing pay arrangements, reaching agreement on common rates and timescales is likely to take some time. Real progress is possible – but we are not there yet.

We are also continuing to discuss common minimums for annual leave,
maternity/adoption leave and other forms of parental and family leave. We have put our views to the Cabinet Office and are waiting for their response.

Civil Service Compensation Scheme

The NEC heard that the government intends to make formal proposals to PCS about changes it wishes to make to the CSCS. The government has agreed to negotiate with PCS about these proposals.

The NEC reaffirmed its view that if negotiations do not result in an agreement that protects our members from detriment then the union must be prepared to campaign and take appropriate action. If proposals are received before our ADC, an emergency motion will be submitted to conference.

‘Civil Service West Midlands’

On 3 April a pilot project was launched in the West Midlands by the Cabinet Office, with the support of the civil service unions, which aims to develop a more joined-up civil service. The pilot, which may be rolled-out across England, is an attempt to remove some of the barriers between departments and see the civil service operating as a more coherent body. The NEC hopes the initiative will bring real benefits to members such as more opportunities to move between departments, more opportunities for promotion, and the creation of a more representative workforce.

UK Border Agency

The new UK Border Agency was formally established on 3 April. The new
agency’s workforce will include PCS members transferred from the Border & Immigration Agency, HM Revenue & Customs and UK Visas. The NEC agreed it was very important that PCS develop a unified approach in our dealings with agency management. Our members have important concerns about jobs, pay, training and allowances. The NEC fully endorsed the decision of our reps to work jointly at all levels to ensure the interests of all our members are represented and defended.

Fighting job cuts in Glasgow

The NEC expressed full support for our members in the Identity & Passport Service in Glasgow who are campaigning against the recent announcement by management that 100 jobs will be cut at the Cowcaddens site. This decision will also impact on PCS members employed by Siemens who also work at the site. The NEC will ensure the union does all it can to support members in their campaign against any attempt to impose compulsory redundancies.