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.

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