Economic Policy, Central government, U.K.

The PCS trade union is set to launch a ballot for industrial action on 18 March as a first step in a renewed campaign around pay, jobs and working conditions. The union has around 150,000 members in over 200 bargaining units across the civil service and has been successful in recent years in securing support for targeted strike action despite the strict UK ballot rules covering public services. The ballot will close on 13 May and there will be a special meeting of the PCS national executive on 15 May to consider the results. The union’s key demands include: a cost-of-living rise, with an

Public service unions have organised one of the biggest strikes and mobilisations in Northern Ireland for many years as they try to put pressure on the UK government to stop delaying a pay offer for public service workers. The government claims that its hands are tied by the political stalemate in the province and the lack of a functioning Assembly. The unions argue that this is an excuse and that the money is available to make a pay offer immediately. EPSU affiliates UNISON, Unite, GMB and RCN are involved in the action, along with NIPSA, RCM, CSP, SoR, BDA as well as the teaching unions

Members of the UNISON, Unite, GMB and RCM trade unions joined five other unions in coordinated strike action over pay on 21 and 22 September. Workers in the province are frustrated by the low level of pay offered to civil service workers, the complete lack of a pay offer in the health service and the continuing problems with staffing shortages. The unions are particularly frustrated about the fact that many public service workers in England, Scotland and Wales have aleady accepted pay offers and that the pay gap between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is increasing. The ETUC sent a

While some of the major disputes in public services have been or are being resolved, several significant strikes and protests over pay are still taking place. Various groups of non-teaching staff in schools, colleges and universities are all involved in action. Workers in colleges in Scotland have a rolling campaign of action while those in schools, organised by UNISON, Unite and GMB are planning strikes at the end of September. Non-teaching staff in universities in England and Wales will also walk out at different times in September and the beginning of October. Other disputes involve

PCS the main union in central government is running a ballot of members with a recommendation that the current campaign of strike action be suspended pending local negotiations on pay. The union is pleased with the results of the targeted industrial action that began last year, delivering a £1,500 non-consolidated cost-of-living payment and a concession from the government that the headline pay figure for 2023-24 will be 4.5% with an extra 0.5% for the lowest paid – more than double its originally intended figure of 2%. However, PCS wants to make sure that all agencies and departments benefit

The biggest campaign of industrial action in the history of the PCS trade union has won an improved pay offer from the government and concessions on redundancy and job security. After more than 300 days of targeted action and three national strikes, the union is now consulting over the government’s proposal and how it will be implemented at local level. The key elements include: a lump sum of £1500 in recognition of cost of living pressures in 2022-23, an increase in the scope for local bargaining from 2% to 4.5%, with an extra 0.5% for the lowest paid for 2023-24, and a commitment to further

Strike action could be on the cards across local government in England and Wales as members of the main trade unions – UNISON, GMB and Unite – have rejected the £1925 (€2215) flat-rate pay offer. Meanwhile, action over pay is continuing in the National Health Service in England where Unite is continuing its campaign to get pay negotiations re-opened with targeted strike action in hospitals and the ambulance service. The RCN nursing union is balloting its members in England over further action while RCN members in Wales have also rejected the separate pay offer there. In central government, PCS

The campaign of industrial action over pay, jobs and pensions by the PCS trade union is set to continue following a new strike ballot. The union managed to secure reach the threshold required for public sector strike action in 106 government departments and agencies. In Scotland, with separate negotiations on pay, PCS members have accepted an increased pay offer delivering a total increase of at least £2200 (€2535) for all staff earning £36000 (€41455) or less. The guarantee of no compulsory redundancy for all staff is extended to 31 March 2025 and there is a commitment to review the lowest

The long-running industrial action in central government sees another national strike on 28 April with the PCS union expecting 133,000 civil servants in 132 departments to walk out. This is the third full national mobilisation in a campaign over pay, jobs and pensions that began last year and has involved targeted action in a wide range of departments and agencies. In a separate action members of PCS, Unite and UNISON at the Care Quality Commission, the body that monitors health and care services, took a day’s action on 17 April over pay, following a campaign of action short of a strike. The

Members of UNISON at the Environment Agency will take four more days of strike action on 14-17 April with the employers failing to respond to calls to negotiate on an improved pay offer. After the latest strike day on 31 March, health workers in Northern Ireland have called off further action pending a re-opening of negotiations over pay. This is separate from the pay dispute in England where unions are awaiting the response to their consultation of members over a revised pay offer. However, junior doctors in England in the BMA trade union, who are covered by a separate agreement, are

While action in the health service has been paused as trade unions consult members of the government’s pay offer, the campaign of strikes and industrial action across central government continues. The PCS trade union has called its third day of national action for 28 April following the strikes on 1 and 15 March. In the meantime its targeted campaign across different government departments continues. The union is also balloting more than 120000 workers across 186 government employers to join the action. Members UNISON at the Environment Agency are also maintaining their campaign of industrial

The PCS civil service union has been running a targeted campaign of industrial action to support its claim for higher pay and in defence of pensions and jobs. A nationwide action was organised on 1 March and then again on 15 March another national strike took place to coincide with the announcement of the government’s budget. The campaign of industrial action continues with various government agencies targeted with a series of one- and two-day strikes until the end of March. Meanwhile, some health service unions have suspended strike action during talks with the government over pay. However

The government has initiated pay talks with the RCN nursing union in England which has suspended strike action for the time being. However, the government has not engaged with other health unions that are currently involved in industrial action. Members of the UNISON trade union across the ambulance service and other parts of the health service are taking action on 8 March, including several workplaces where a re-ballot of members delivered the required majority for strike action. Health workers have also been taking action in Northern Ireland. Ambulance workers represented by the GMB union

With the UK government still refusing to negotiate on pay, the RCN nursing union is planning its biggest strike action so far for 48 hours from the morning of 1 March to the morning of 3 March. It will impact 128 NHS employers across England and involve all members in workplaces with a mandate to strike. This follows the two days of strikes on 6-7 February which were already a step up from the level of action in December. In the same week ambulance workers also maintained their campaign over pay with action spread over several days involving UNISON, Unite and the GMB and with more areas voting

Members of the FBU firefighters’ union have voted overwhelming for strike action and the union has given the government 10 days to respond before setting any strike dates. This means firefighters will join the widespread actions across the UK involving central government workers, nurses and ambulance staff along with education and rail workers. The PCS civil service union organised a national strike on 1 February and further targeted action is planned for later in the month. The TUC confederation also organised protests around the country on 1 February in protest at the government plans for