Pensions Regulator still not listening to member demands

More strong pickets as PCS members at The Pensions Regulator enter their seventh month of strike action in their dispute over pay.

PCS members have continued to support the strike at The Pensions Regulator (TPR), with large numbers attending the picket lines over the past few weeks.

Around 380 PCS members in TPR will strike again on 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 20 March 2024. But they are deeply disappointed by the continued intransigence of TPR, which is the only employer of more than 200 in the civil service that hasn’t matched the Treasury Pay remit guidance of 4.5% with an additional 0.5% to be directed to the lowest paid.

PCS members working in TPR remain determined to achieve pay justice and will back their determination with strike action until they achieve it.

PCS has put forward a set of very reasonable proposals to TPR which should be relatively straightforward for the employer to implement:

  • To make a one-off payment out of the circa £2 million that TPR have saved during the course of the dispute
  • To commit to submitting a pay flexibility case for additional pay of at least 2% above whatever is directed by the government in the 24-25 pay remit guidance  
  • To enter into discussion with PCS with a view to ending the unfair performance related pay system in operation in TPR
  • To bring annual leave into line with TPR’s parent government department the DWP
  • To end unfair discrepancies between staff TUPE transferred into TPR from Capita and staff directly recruited to TPR.
Unacceptable pay cut

PCS has had questions raised in Parliament on our behalf by supportive MPs such as Beth Winter, who said it is "unacceptable" that the employer is "trying to impose a real-terms pay cut".

The strike has also gained widespread coverage in the pensions press, placing pressure on the employer to pay up.

We have had great coverage in Professional Pensions and Financial Planning Today. FT Adviser also highlighted how the ongoing strike action is creating a backlog of work and systemic disruption to TPR’s ability to deliver on their statutory duties.

PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote recently said of the dispute: “If TPR showed a genuine commitment to implementing our proposals we believe it would be possible to suspend further strike action to allow for talks that could resolve this long running dispute.”

How to show your support

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