Hopes rise for end to DWP dispute

A long-running dispute at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may be drawing to a close, dependent on final clarifications between the PCS civil service union and management. Any agreement would also be subject to a membership ballot.

However, some of the key issues that led to the dispute will continue to be the focus of union campaigning, not just in the DWP, but across the wider civil service.

The dispute, which has involved two two-day stoppages since January and an overtime ban, has been fought on several fronts: jobs, sickness/attendance, disciplinary procedures, members' concerns about service delivery and poor industrial relations. It has come to be known as the Jobs, Rights and Services campaign, reflecting the issues thrown up by the government's policy of slashing over 100,000 jobs from the civil service.

Progress in negotiations was made over the summer, and in July the union's Group Executive Council recommended an end to the dispute. A ballot was postponed in August, as the union sought various assurances, but seemed likely to resume as Labour Research went to press.

PCS national officer, Keith Wylie, said that even if there is an agreement, it won't be an end to the campaign against job cuts and redundancies in the DWP - but it will mean an end to the dispute.

"The redundancy avoidance procedures we have negotiated should mean that no-one is forced out of the civil service through compulsory redundancy before the end of the Comprehensive Spending Review in Spring 2008," he said. "And the union will continue to press the Cabinet Office for a civil-service-wide 'no compulsory redundancy' guarantee."

DWP management has also agreed measures on managing attendance that would make it a "more supportive employer".