Public and Commercial Services Union

Promoting equality and tackling discrimination has always been a major part of PCS's work in negotiations on pay and conditions.

Our work in this area has included challenges to pay inequalities and discrimination through employment tribunal cases, where we have had notable success, resulting in better pay and progression systems for members. We have also carried out work jointly with other civil service unions and the Cabinet Office to address bias and inequality in performance appraisal systems.

During 2002/2003 PCS was involved nationally and locally in equal pay audits across the Civil Service. Our negotiators and reps are now engaged in making sure that the resulting action plans are put into practice.

It is our aim to make sure that equal pay audits are central to the pay bargaining process and to extend the reviews beyond gender and part time status to include race and disability.

This guidance builds on PCS's experience and on best practice recommended by the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Cabinet Office and the TUC.

It is intended as a tool kit for negotiators and reps to use in assessing the progress being made by the employer towards eliminating pay gaps and tackling discriminatory practices.

This assessment of progress will play a vital part in judging the extent to which the employer's pay proposals meet the requirements of PCS's national pay claim.

This section includes:

• Purpose of reviews and auditing
• Carrying out an equal pay audit
• Danger points to watch out for
• Model policy statement