PCS strike action – Thursday 30th June

We have now received updated advice from PCS regarding strike action tomorrow by Parliamentary security. Below is a copy of their statement to MPs:

As you will be aware PCS members in the civil service and working in public bodies will be taking strike action on 30 June.

We have continued to meet with ministers to reach an agreement that would protect our members pensions, jobs and pay, the government has refused to negotiate on any of the key issue of principle at the heart of the pension dispute: the change to pension up rating from CPI to RPI; that our members will be required to pay more for their pensions, work longer and the value of future pensions will be reduced.

The government’s own advisers the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) project that changes already made to pensions in 2006 will mean that public service pension expenditure will fall gradually from 1.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010-11, to 1.4% of GDP in 2059-60. 

By announcing in the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review that it was seeking to raise £1.8 billion by increasing employee pension contributions, government has conflated changes to public sector pensions with its deficit reduction plan.

The changes in pensions are in addition to a two year pay freeze as inflation is high, and a cut of 1 in 5 jobs in the civil service, and our dispute also covers these key issues. We believe strongly that this is a dispute that is entirely of the government’s making, and we want the government to commit to real negotiations covering all of the key issues of principle in this dispute.

We will have two picket lines at Parliament including one at St. Stephen’s entrance and would therefore appreciate if members of the group would respect the picket lines and not cross them.

We will have various activities across the country that MPs can support, for more information see http://bit.ly/ipgmvC

There will also be a march assembling at 11am at Lincoln Inn Fields which will march to a rally at Westminster Central Hall for about 1.15pm, you would of course be welcome to attend.

We strongly encourage branch members to not come into work tomorrow and to make alternative arrangements. Some branch members will be joining the march at 11am and at the rally at Westminster Central Hall at about 1:15pm.

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