Civil service union to ballot members on industrial action over pay

A civil service union is going to ballot its members on industrial action, increasing the threat of strikes continuing into the new year.

Prospect said Paymaster General Jeremy Quin had written to the union confirming that the Government had decided to make no more money available to address the cost-of-living crisis facing civil servants.

The letter was in response to Prospect’s demands following an indicative ballot showing widespread support for industrial action.

Prospect said it would now move to statutory industrial action ballots in the new year across a range of civil service employers including the Health and Safety Executive and the Met Office.

Prospect has also written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case disputing claims he made in an email to all civil servants that the Cabinet Office was meeting with unions to address the issue of pay and benefits.

Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, said: “It is disappointing that ministers have chosen not to make further funding available for pay to address the catastrophic cost-of-living crisis civil servants are facing.

“They are the worst treated in the public service. Therefore we have no choice but to move to formal ballots of our members on industrial action.

“It is doubly galling when the Cabinet Secretary claimed to all staff that efforts were being made to resolve issues on pay and benefits. This suggestion was rapidly followed by the ministerial letter confirming there was no more money.

“Therefore sticking with the Remit Guidance cap of 2-3%, which is well below inflation and average pay rises.

“The current pay crisis represents an existential threat to the civil service. For many of our members public service is a vocation but they need to be paid properly to do it.

“If the Government doesn’t do the right thing by the people who work for it, it will find a critical mass of people leaving to be far better remunerated in the private sector.”

Published: 14/12/2022 by Radio NewsHub