News from the NEC - April 2026

Industrial Action

The general secretary reported to the NEC on some significant victories achieved by members, including at the ONS where the branch has defeated the government’s 60% mandatory office attendance mandate.

Following strike action, members of Home Office Maritime and the Palace of Westminster Security guards have voted to accept new and improved proposals from the employer.

Members at MOPAC are also currently balloting on an improved offer from the employer made following strike action. OCS members working on the GPA hard services facilities management contract are also being balloted on an improved offer, with a recommendation to accept.

At the Highland & Islands airports, members have secured an improved above-inflation offer of 4% in 2025/26 and 3.5% in 2026/27, in line with the overall Scottish Government sector settlement, with no compulsory redundancies.

Members at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) were recently balloted over proposed job cuts. Members voted 76% in favour of strike action, but narrowly missed the 50% turnout threshold – with 48.76% of eligible members voting. Members are being re-balloted with confidence they can meet the turnout threshold.

National campaign talks

It was reported that the publication date for the civil service pay remit guidance has been put back from April to May, in part due to pressure from PCS for more time for talks and in part due to changes in personnel on the employer's side. The general secretary has already met with the with new Cabinet Secretary, Antonia Romeo, and with new Cabinet Office minister Satvir Kaur, to press our case.

As a matter of priority this year we have been pushing for progress on some key issues, namely low pay, erosion of grading differentials and greater coherence across the civil service and its related areas. We are hopeful of progress.

Levy Refund

The levy repayment process for members to be able to apply for a refund of levy payments made between September 2024 and February 2025 inclusive went live on 28 November as scheduled.

As of 21 April, we had received claims from 13,622 members returning £313,507 to members. Just over 400 members have opted out of receiving a rebate, and 1,155 members have indicated that they are interested in getting more involved in PCS. The last date for further claims is 28 May 2026.

Organising

PCS membership increased by more than 4,000 in the last year, and there has also been an increase in reps, and in the number of reps trained in the last year.

During the time the NEC was discussing the organising report, more than a dozen new members joined the union!

Capita pensions crisis

The general secretary reported on the ongoing outsourcing failure of Capita’s management of civil service pensions – and the union’s demand for the administration to be brought in-house.

Since the last NEC meeting, Capita has had to report a serious data breach in civil service pension scheme administration to the Information Commissioner’s Office, and has separately been stripped of the contract for the Royal Mail pension scheme.

PCS continues to increase the pressure on the government through our negotiations, campaigning, press and parliamentary work.

Use our e-action to write to your MP, asking them to write to the minister for the Cabinet Office, asking them to work with PCS to urgently resolve the issues with the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme and to also sign the Early Day Motion 2710 on the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Parliamentary Report

PCS parliamentary group chair, John McDonnell MP, attended day two of the NEC to report on the parliamentary group’s “frenetic activity”. As well as regular well-attended meetings, there have been numerous drop-in briefings, adjournment debates and pressure on ministers over issues including Capita pensions, FCDO cuts and the parliamentary security guards.

John also spoke about the work of the group on the Employment Rights Act, and the campaign for an Employment Rights #2 Bill to press the government to go further.

Annual Delegate Conference 2026

The NEC agreed guest speakers at annual delegate conference (ADC) would be John McDonnell MP, and Her Excellency Mrs Ismara Mercedes Vargas Walter, Cuban Ambassador to the UK.