PCS: Civil servants back strike action over below inflation pay

Friday, 17 October 2008 12:00 AM

A prolonged programme of industrial action, hitting civil and public services across the UK moved a step closer today, as members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) overwhelmingly backed strike action in a dispute over the government's 2% public sector pay cap.

54% of those taking part in the ballot backed union plans for industrial action, which includes national civil service wide strikes, targeted strike action and overtime bans. The union's National Executive Committee (NEC) will be meeting on Thursday 23 October to finalise plans and decide on dates for the programme of industrial action which could stretch over the coming months. An announcement confirming these plans will be made on 23 October.

The ballot result comes as civil and public servants across the UK face mounting pressure on their finances as a result of the government's public sector pay cap.
With a quarter of the civil service earning less than £16,500 and thousands earning just above the minimum wage, the government's policy of capping public sector pay has hit some of the lowest paid in the public sector the hardest, leading to real terms pay cuts and pay freezes.

Pay in the civil service is worse than other parts of the public sector because 'progression' (moving from the minimum to the maximum of the pay range) is included in the government's pay cap. Hence there is less money available to fund basic pay awards.

This year has already seen pay strikes hit jobcentres, passports, immigration and coastguards across the UK, as well as strikes in the Scottish courts service, museums and sportscotland. PCS members have also co-ordinated their industrial action over pay with other public sector unions, including NUT, UCU and Unison.

Commenting, Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: "The hardworking people who keep this country running, from passports, immigration and justice, to coastguards, tax and jobcentres, face increasing financial hardship because of the government's public sector pay cap. Pay freezes and real term pay cuts are simply not sustainable when you are earning a pittance and experiencing double digit rises in food, fuel and housing costs. Bailing out bankers should not be at the expense of those who deliver public services or those who rely on them.

"Members feel betrayed and this ballot result illustrates that they are prepared to stand up for fair pay. The union's NEC will be meeting next week to take forward that result and finalise plans for a programme of industrial action. The government have a window of opportunity to avert industrial action and to recognise that their public sector pay cap is compounding the financial misery of hardworking families in these unstable economic times."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

* For further information, interviews and comment please contact Alex Flynn PCS national press officer on 020 7801 2820 or 07833 978216.

* PCS, the Public and Commercial Services Union is the union representing civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies. It also represents workers in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK's sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich.

Alex Flynn
National Press Officer
Public and Commercial Services Union
160 Falcon Rd
London SW11 2LN

Direct line: 020 7801 2747
Mobile: 07833 978 216
Fax: 020 7924 1847

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