FCDO - industrial action re-ballot starts Monday 18 May

FCDO2030 re-ballot – post your ballot paper as soon as you get it

We came so close to winning our industrial action ballot opposing job cuts that we are re-balloting members. The voting turnout was 48.76%, so we were literally a handful of votes short of getting over the 50% minimum threshold required under UK employment law. The votes showed strong support for action, with 93.8% voting for action short of strike and 76.9% voting for strike action. 

The re-ballot opens Monday 18 May and closes at noon on Monday 22 June. 

Vote immediately

Ballot papers will be posted out 1st class on Monday 18 May, so you should receive your ballot paper within a few days at most. Please vote, and then post back, as soon as you receive it to avoid the worsening postal delays. A 2nd class prepaid envelope is provided in the ballot pack.

Overseas members 

We are not balloting members currently based overseas for logistical reasons. It is likely that ballot papers will take longer to reach many members based overseas, and longer to be posted back. As a result, we would expect votes from overseas members to be lower. This matters because restrictive UK employment laws require us to achieve a minimum 50% turnout if we are to take lawful industrial action (as stated above, we were just 19 votes short of 50% in the first ballot). 

We will be consulting PCS reps and members based overseas on how you can support the action lawfully.

Members on loan/secondment

We are also not balloting members on inward loan to FCDO - you are employed by another government department and therefore not part of the legal dispute - or on outward loan to other government departments. 

Check your membership records

We continue to ask all members to check that your details on PCS Digital are correct. Most importantly, please check:

• Your home address
• Your workplace 
• Your grade
• Your personal email and mobile 

Login or register for PCS Digital and check your details are correct. Watch our guidance videos if you need help on how to register, how to update your address/personal contact details, and how to update your workplace and grade.

Recruit to PCS

To vote in the ballot, new members must join PCS by 10am on 2 June.

Ask all your colleagues to join PCS. The more members we have the more our effective any industrial action will be. 

Our ballot and industrial action will run alongside stages 1 and 2 of the restructuring so we keep up the pressure on the employer to follow agreed processes, save as many jobs as possible and for a no compulsory redundancy agreement. 

If you are matched into a role while we are balloting it is vital that you still vote, this is about saving as many jobs as we can. FCDO's current approach sets a precedent that involves ignoring existing policies and national agreements. If allowed to go unchecked, it will limit the scope and diversity of future employment opportunities. A re-ballot is our best chance to influence the restructure and save jobs.