Campaigning Against Low Pay In The Civil Service

Department for Work and Pensions

Campaigning Against Low Pay In The Civil Service

THE HIGH level of support for the second two-day strike
at Easter by PCS civil service union members over the 2003 pay claim rocked
Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) management. They have consistently
failed to gauge the enormous anger of staff at an inadequate pay award and
the imposition of a discriminatory appraisal system (PDS) designed to
institutionalise low pay for years to come.

John McInally, DWP Group Assistant Secretary, personal
capacity

PCS members were outraged at the contemptible conduct of
New Labour MPs cheering and clapping Chancellor Brown’s announcement of
30,000 job cuts in DWP. Members then had to put up with the disgraceful
accusation from the DWP Executive Team (ET) that women workers "lack
ambition" and that middle managers are an obstacle to change.

PCS members work hard to deliver vital public services
to some of the most needy people in society and are sick and tired of the
contempt shown toward them by arrogant politicians and bosses alike.

Suspensions of line managers

Suspensions of line managers who are refusing to report
on staff under the new appraisal system have led to unofficial walkouts
throughout the country, a solid response to this bullying behaviour.

This is an attempt by the ET to provoke members, thereby
gaining control of the pace of the dispute. This must not divert PCS from
its successful strategy of line managers taking non-co-operation to the
point of suspension before complying.

The Left Unity-led Group Executive Committee (GEC) will
never recommend a settlement based on acceptance of PDS, it must either be
completely withdrawn or radically overhauled. It recognises however that
member’s eyes are now on 2004 pay and developments on national civil service
pay as PCS begins the struggle to get back to national pay bargaining.

The GEC will now present a claim for 2004 but will not
accept 2003 nor will it abandon the unfinished business from 2003 – the
campaign goes on for a settlement! In recent years management have tried to
drag the resolution of pay claims way past settlement dates. This is an
ongoing grievance amongst members and the GEC is not prepared to allow it to
happen with the 2004 claim.

Settlement 

If management have not reached a settlement on 2004/03
by the settlement date of 1 July, the GEC is recommending members to support
a five-day strike. That will have a potentially devastating impact on DWP by
effectively closing its operations for a full week.

Consultation on this and whether any further action is
needed before the settlement date is now taking place. PCS is taking DWP to
the High Court over the introduction of PDS, probably in late May. The press
and Parliamentary campaigns go on, members and activists are being urged to
contact MPs.

Breakthrough 

At national level there has been a significant
breakthrough on pay. General Secretary, Mark Serwotka and President Janice
Godrich have reported to members that the Cabinet Office and Treasury now
recognise that the shambles of civil service pay (there are 229 different
bargaining units) be dealt with and "improved".

This is the start of a process that may, albeit over a
period of time and not without obstacles and conflict, begin to deliver fair
pay and a return to national bargaining. PCS hopes to publish before its
national conference in June, a joint statement with the Cabinet
Office/Treasury that can be endorsed by the union.

These welcome developments put the spotlight on the
reactionaries in the DWP ET. If they are serious about a settlement the
conditions are there for them to reach it. A start must be made in the
2004/03 settlement to resolving low pay and progression. A reasonable and
credible appraisal system must be part of any settlement.