MEDIA RELEASE
17 April 2012
For immediate use

National executive announces programme of action over pensions

The national executive of the Public and Commercial Services union, the largest in the civil service, today (17) unanimously agreed to kickstart a programme of ongoing action over pensions with a national s***** with other unions on Thursday 10 May, followed by another at the end of June.

This means the union will be involved in national industrial action across the civil service, health and education sectors; co-ordinated, targeted industrial action in employer groups and sectors; national and regional protests; and political lobbying.

In reaching the decision, the union's executive restated its desire to meet government ministers for genuine negotiations to achieve a settlement to the long-running dispute. The union has written to Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude requesting further negotiations but, to date, has not received a reply.

The decision follows today's announcement by Unite that its healthworker members will hold national strike action on 10 May. Other unions have already either agreed to s***** on that date or are expected to.

The action will come a day after the Queen's Speech, which is expected to include a parliamentary bill forcing through changes to public sector pensions that will mean civil and public servants paying much more every month and working up to eight years longer for a lower pension in retirement.

Plans for industrial action by the union's members in employer groups are being drawn up alongside proposals for national action, and further announcements will be made on these shortly.

On 10 May, the unions will be organising regional events and will look to work with other campaign and anti-cuts organisations.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The ongoing programme of industrial action with other unions we have agreed sends a clear message to government ministers that we do not accept their unnecessary plans to force public servants to pay more and work longer for less in retirement.

"The government must talk to us with the genuine aim of reaching a settlement but if it refuses, we will press ahead with s****s and protests the length and breadth of the country in the coming weeks and months. And we will continue to show that there is an alternative to this government's cruel and unfair cuts that clearly are not working."

ENDS

Notes

- For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216

- The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has around 290,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK's sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich - on Twitter @janicegodrich

- Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union