UNITED KINGDOM
Changes in redundancy payments for UK Public Servants are at least two months away, according to the country’s largest union representing Government workers, the PCS.
The PCS said in the meantime, the Government will have to stick with the 2010 agreement it considers too generous and has tried to change.
Last year the PCS succeeded in getting 2016 revisions to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) declared illegal after High Court judges agreed the union had been excluded from part of the consultation process.
The move forced Departments to revert to the 2010 version of the CSCS, and boost payouts made to thousands of former staff.
Rather than challenge the High Court decision, the Cabinet Office quickly floated a new version of the compensation scheme that proposed capping voluntary redundancy payouts at 15 months’ salary, rather than 18 months in the 2016 agreement and 21 months in the 2010 scheme.
Compulsory redundancy payouts would be capped at nine months’ salary, the same level as the 2016 scheme, rather than 2010’s entitlement of 12 months.
The PCS said the Cabinet Office had given it and fellow Public Service unions, the Prison Officers’ Association, Unite and GMB, until 23 April to come up with alternative proposals to the Government’s draft revisions.
The four unions have demanded a comprehensive range of data from the Government, and General Secretary of the PCS, Mark Serwotka (pictured) said thousands of PS staff made redundant in the eight months between November 2016 and July last year had received extra compensation because of the union’s actions — some pocketing up to £50,000 (A$91,600).
He said that Ministers would have to stick with the 2010 version of the CSCS until May at the earliest.
“Anyone worried that the Government is about to change their compensation terms now because they are considering departing, I am pleased to confirm that there can be no change in those 2010 terms for at least a couple more months while the negotiations are in place,” Mr Serwotka said.
London, 20 March 2018
