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| Civil servants in England to strike as unions call pay offer ‘insulting’ | Civil servants in England to strike as unions call pay offer ‘insulting’ |
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| Government announces pay rise of between 4.5% and 5%, prompting warning of new wave of industrial action | Government announces pay rise of between 4.5% and 5%, prompting warning of new wave of industrial action |
| Civil service unions in England have warned of a fresh wave of industrial action, after the government announced that pay rises would be limited to 4.5% to 5%, in a move dismissed by union leaders as “insulting”. | Civil service unions in England have warned of a fresh wave of industrial action, after the government announced that pay rises would be limited to 4.5% to 5%, in a move dismissed by union leaders as “insulting”. |
| The two sides have been involved in talks in recent weeks but it is understood the increase was presented to them as non-negotiable. | |
| Those covered include the 100,000-plus members of the PCS who have taken part in a wave of strikes in recent months, as well as senior civil servants represented by the FDA union. | Those covered include the 100,000-plus members of the PCS who have taken part in a wave of strikes in recent months, as well as senior civil servants represented by the FDA union. |
| The new pay guidance appears significantly less generous than the offer being consulted on by NHS staff, which includes a one-off bonus and a 5% pay increase for 2023-24. | |
| Official pay remit guidance published by the Cabinet Office on Friday allows for average pay awards of 4.5%, plus an additional 0.5% for the lowest pay bands. | Official pay remit guidance published by the Cabinet Office on Friday allows for average pay awards of 4.5%, plus an additional 0.5% for the lowest pay bands. |
| Civil service unions reacted with fury. The PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said: “This insulting proposal will serve only to anger PCS members, stiffen their resolve ahead of the forthcoming re-ballot and increase the likelihood of a new wave of sustained strike action.” | Civil service unions reacted with fury. The PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said: “This insulting proposal will serve only to anger PCS members, stiffen their resolve ahead of the forthcoming re-ballot and increase the likelihood of a new wave of sustained strike action.” |
| The PCS is balloting to continue its industrial action, which has hit public services from border checks to driving tests, while the FDA’s executive is holding an emergency meeting on Wednesday to consider balloting for strikes. | |
| Members of the FDA, who include some of Whitehall’s most senior bureaucrats, last took part in strikes more than a decade ago, in 2011, during a dispute over public sector pensions. | Members of the FDA, who include some of Whitehall’s most senior bureaucrats, last took part in strikes more than a decade ago, in 2011, during a dispute over public sector pensions. |
| Another civil service union, Prospect, representing tens of thousands of technical and specialist staff such as government scientists, said it would press ahead with strike action on 10 May and 7 June. | Another civil service union, Prospect, representing tens of thousands of technical and specialist staff such as government scientists, said it would press ahead with strike action on 10 May and 7 June. |
| Its general secretary, Mike Clancy, said: “This industrial action was entirely avoidable, but the government’s failure to bring anything to the table has made it inevitable and it leaves hardworking civil servants with no option but to protest over their treatment.” | Its general secretary, Mike Clancy, said: “This industrial action was entirely avoidable, but the government’s failure to bring anything to the table has made it inevitable and it leaves hardworking civil servants with no option but to protest over their treatment.” |
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| Speaking in Washington DC on Thursday, the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said the government was willing to accept short-term economic damage from strike action, rather than cave in to “hard to justify” pay claims. | |
| “We have to get this right. I completely understand how the cost of living going up faster than wages makes people angry,” he said. | “We have to get this right. I completely understand how the cost of living going up faster than wages makes people angry,” he said. |
| “Inflation is the root cause of that anger. We must make sure we don’t have the same inflation problems and the same arguments in a year’s time. The worst possible thing for junior doctors, nurses, teachers and rail workers would be if there was still concern about inflation this time next year.” | “Inflation is the root cause of that anger. We must make sure we don’t have the same inflation problems and the same arguments in a year’s time. The worst possible thing for junior doctors, nurses, teachers and rail workers would be if there was still concern about inflation this time next year.” |
| Downing Street made some concessions with NHS workers – including offering a one-off payment for the current financial year – in an attempt to end the strikes, but disputes with teachers and junior doctors continue. | Downing Street made some concessions with NHS workers – including offering a one-off payment for the current financial year – in an attempt to end the strikes, but disputes with teachers and junior doctors continue. |