Unions want ‘broken’ civil service reformed

The general secretaries of two unions have written to the government calling for reform of the “broken beyond repair” civil service pay system.

In their letter, Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy and FDA general secretary Dave Penman stated: “The civil service pay structures have remained largely unreformed for three decades. The remit process not only prevents individual employers developing a strategic approach to their pay and reward, but it also prevents any sort of strategic approach at the centre and is actively hindering other workforce strategies you want to progress for the whole of the civil service.”

“We want to see a pay structure that rewards talent, knowledge and expertise so that the civil service can recruit and retain skilled staff that can address the major challenges faced by our vital public services.”

The move comes after Prospect members in the civil service undertook the largest industrial action in a decade earlier this year, and the FDA announced its first national industrial action ballot on pay in 40 years. These actions came after the government published its pay remit guidance for 2023/24, without meaningful consultation with the unions and offering no additional payment for 2022/23.