Break down of ACAS talks in Pensions Regulator dispute
PCS entered into talks through ACAS with a view to resolving the long-running dispute with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) over its failure to pay more than 3% pay increase this year.
Members in TPR took 2 weeks' strike action in September and have started another period of 4 weeks of strike action today as a result of the employer’s refusal to pay 4.5% with an extra 0.5% to be directed at the lowest paid which every other civil service employer has paid so far.
PCS went into the ACAS talks yesterday (10) in good faith looking to persuade TPR to pay some of the £1.5million bonus pot as proper pay to achieve parity with other civil service employers. Members working for TPR are furious that the bonus pot rewards the highest paid so much more than the lowest paid. In TPR if you are already very well paid you have a much greater chance of getting a bonus, and if you do, your bonus will be much bigger than your lower-paid colleagues.
Despite the best efforts of the negotiating team PCS was unable to persuade an intransigent TPR to find any more money or reallocate any of their bonus pot help to resolve the dispute.
Picket lines are today and tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday next week and for 2 whole weeks from 23 October. Members lined up to post their ballot papers this morning to vote in a fresh ballot, running until noon on 1 November, required to renew their strike mandate.
If you want to come and support the picket line come down to:
The Pensions Regulator
Telecom House
125-135 Preston Road
Brighton
BN1 6AF.
You can also show support by sending messages of support to editor@pcs.org.uk or by making an online donation to our strike fund.
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