The PCS union’s National Executive Committee will meet today to thrash out its response to the government’s “disgraceful” proposed civil service compensation scheme.
Today, the PCS also plans to discuss ways to ensure that as many of its members as possible back its own pledge to have the proposals changed.
The government’s proposal for civil service compensation includes a plan to reduce compulsory redundancy payments from three years’ pay to as little as 24 weeks. A proposal to remove the age-discriminatory ’50+ rule’, which states officials over 50 applying for early retirement can get immediate payment of unreduced pensions and additional years of service credited as well, is also being considered.
The union believes that the proposed changes would lead to a huge financial loss for workers.
Most of the changes are expected to come into effect on 1 January 2010, although transitional terms will be available to people in service before 30 July 2007. Any staff made compulsorily redundant before 31 March 2011 will be able to leave on the current redundancy terms.