UNITED KINGDOM
The largest union representing UK Public Servants has urged Permanent Secretaries of Departments to support its call for a significant wage increase for all Government workers following the 6.5 per cent deal for National Health Service (NHS) staff.
The Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union said that at a time when health service staff were being offered a three-year deal and Local Government staff had been offered 4 per cent over two years, the 1 per cent cap on annual public sector pay rises needed to end for all PS employees.
The cap has been in place since 2012, and followed a two-year pay freeze for most public sector workers.
General Secretary of the PCS, Mark Serwotka (pictured) said the union was still waiting for a response to its call for a 5 per cent across-the-board increase, or £1,200 (A$2,200) if that amount was greater.
It had also called for a common pay and grading structure across the Public Service.
Mr Serwotka said Public Service leaders needed to exercise the same degree of support for their staff that NHS chiefs and Local Council bosses had.
“If everyone else is getting pay offers, it’s about time the Government realised they can’t treat their own workforce with contempt,” Mr Serwotka said.
“If other employers have made cases to the Treasury for extra funding, it’s time the Civil Service did that on behalf of hardworking Civil Servants.”
He said it had taken “many weeks and months of campaigning” to get the Cabinet Office to agree to a meeting — just before Easter — at which the pay demand was tabled.
Mr Serwotka said a response was expected soon.
An indicative ballot of PCS members conducted late last year found that almost 80 per cent were prepared to take strike action over pay.
London, 14 April 2018
