Pensions regulator win

PCS has secured a comprehensive settlement on behalf of PCS reps who were subjected to trade union victimisation at The Pensions Regulator (TPR).

The agreement includes a £90,000 payout – £15,000 for each rep – as well as a formal apology from TPR and a commitment to train its managers on constructive engagement with trade union reps.

The case began in 2024 when TPR demanded access to the PCS branch WhatsApp group, held on personal devices, as part of an investigation into an alleged information leak.

Branch members had been taking extensive strike action over pay in 2023 and 2024.

Despite giving assurances they had not seen the leaked document, and raising concerns about sharing confidential information, the reps were disciplined for failing to follow management’s instructions and issued with written warnings.

The collective efforts of the reps, PCS staff and legal department, Thompson’s solicitors and a specialist barrister led to a successful result in the case.

Richard Gillingham, former TPR employee and PCS rep, said: “This was all because we took strike action for the first time in years. Suddenly TPR was dealing with a branch and membership that had grown massively and knew the strength of solidarity. Instead of negotiating in good faith and building proper industrial relations, they tried to bully and intimidate the branch reps by launching these spurious disciplinary cases.”

PCS rep and lead witness, Matthew Evans, said the solicitor and barrister helped build their case in “such a detailed way”: “We were always the most prepared people in the room, and it showed.”

Fran Heathcote said the result was a clear warning to employers, adding: “PCS will always stand up for the rights of our reps.”