The Socialist 8 July 2010

Mass action can stop cuts

Mass action can stop cuts

Build united action to stop the cuts

What the Socialist Party says

Con-Dem budget cuts: Hitting those on benefits hardest

How will George Osborne's budget affect families?

Housing benefit cuts - increasing homelessness

Cuts to disability benefits will increase misery

Fight the savage cuts by Neath/Port Talbot council

Hull: Rallying against the austerity budget

'Godfather' turning in his grave

NUS anti-cuts conference

Youth Fight for Jobs Protest!

BNP forced to abandon its 'festival of hate'

South Africa: 5,000 sacked miners on strike

Kazakhstan: The fight goes on

News in brief

Organise against academies now!

Limited new 'final' offer facing BA cabin crew

PCS will fight new attack on redundancy pay

Unison by-election: fighting leadership needed

Shrewsbury Pickets march for justice

Lindsey refinery fire death: inquiry needed

Workplace news in brief

Unite general secretary election:

Interview: Ken Clarke's prison plans

Pride, prejudice, fightback and hypocrisy

A warm welcome at Summer Camp

Socialism 2010 Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 November

When the financial wizardry lost its magic

Mali's master of the ngoni

Previous issues, etc

Print this issue




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/632/9948

Google search the site	Printable version	email to friend

Home | The Socialist 8 July 2010 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Bookshop

PCS will fight new attack on redundancy pay

On 6 July Tory minister Francis Maude announced new legislation to attack civil service workers' redundancy pay.

John McInally, vice-president, PCS civil service union (personal capacity)

A judicial review in May, following three days of PCS strike action against the previous New Labour government's attempts to attack redundancy rights, said that any changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) would have to be agreed with the union.

In order to circumvent the May ruling the Con-Dem government has announced primary legislation. Like the previous government they are looking to cut redundancy payments in order to drive through job cuts and privatisation on the cheap.

They now say that they want to talk but, with the new legislation, they clearly want to put a gun to the head of civil service trade unions.

The new arrangements would cap voluntary redundancy payments to 15 months salary and compulsory redundancy payments to only 12 months salary.

That indicates that the government wants to drive through tens of thousands of compulsory redundancies. This is on top of cuts of up to 40% in some civil service departments.

Pensions

The new Public Service Pensions Commission will be rigged, as it is chaired by former New Labour cabinet member John Hutton.

Hutton's record as a cabinet minster shows that he hates public sector workers and trade unions.

It can be predicted that the commission will try to make public sector pensions far lower than those in the private sector.

The PCS will oppose these assaults on its members and will campaign to protect jobs, redundancy payments, pensions, terms and conditions, including industrial action where necessary.

In this issue

Mass action can stop cuts