DWP shamed as minimum wage employer in parliament
DWP members were given another reason to vote yes in our national civil service strike ballot when their low pay was highlighted in parliament this week.
PCS Parliamentary Group Chair Chris Stephens said, during a debate he secured calling for a food poverty strategy, that food bank usage among staff at the Department for Work and Pensions increased from 8% of those surveyed by PCS in 2022 to 11% in 2023. He also asked minister for employment Jo Churchill to explain why so many staff working for the department are only paid the national minimum wage.
The SNP MP called for a cross-sector summit of food poverty.
The Tory minister described food insecurity as “highly complex” covering several government departments, including her own.
PCS totally right to ballot
The PCS Parliamentary Group, which comprises 98 MPs and 10 peers, acts on members’ behalf in the UK Parliament, raising their issues in the Commons and Lords and directly with government ministers and shadow cabinet.
The group has sent a solidarity message to the union as members vote in our national civil service strike ballot: “Rishi Sunak's announcement that 70,000 posts will be culled from across the civil service is yet further evidence of a government that is completely out of touch with the reality on the ground. With staff already underpaid and over-worked, morale is at rock bottom. Many departments are already struggling to recruit and retain the staff they need to provide a basic level of service. PCS is totally right to ballot its members over further industrial action, and it's vital that members use their vote to make their voices heard.”
It is vital that our members show their willingness to fight the cuts and for fair pay by voting in our national ballot.
You can help to maximise turnout in the ballot by volunteering on Super Saturday and signing up to CallHub. All you need is a mobile phone, and you won’t incur any costs. Read our guide on how to get started.
Vote now
If you haven’t received your ballot paper, you can request a replacement via PCS Digital before noon on Sunday 28 April.
When you’ve completed and posted your ballot paper, log in to PCS Digital and tell us you’ve voted.