Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Civil ServiceEconomics, government & businessLatest NewsEmployee relations

Civil service boss urges unions not to strike over redundancy package changes

by Louisa Peacock 2 Feb 2010
by Louisa Peacock 2 Feb 2010

Civil service boss Gus O’Donnell has urged PCS members not to strike over plans to cut workers’ redundancy packages – a move which could save £500m in three years.

PCS is expected to continue to ballot staff for industrial action from this Thursday (4 February) over the changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, which will come into effect this April and include cutting redundancy packages from up to three years’ pay to as little as 24 weeks.

Plans to overhaul the redundancy scheme for workers made redundant gained the backing of five trade unions today after 18 months of consultation, including Prospect, GMB and Unite. But PCS is pressing ahead with strike threats.

Under the current system, civil servants who have worked 20 years at Whitehall are entitled to two years’ pay in a lump sum if they take voluntary redundancy and three years’ pay if the redundancy is compulsory.

Gus O’Donnell, head of the Civil Service and permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, said: “I believe the decision by the PCS union to continue opposing the proposals and ballot its members for industrial action is wholly misguided.”

He added: “I would therefore urge PCS members to think hard about how to vote.  Industrial action can only damage the services we provide to the public.”

In April last year, Personnel Today reported that the government was attempting to delay an expected jobs cull across Whitehall until the cuts in Civil Service severance pay were imposed, making the redundancies far cheaper, according to experts.
 
Cutting redundancy packages to as little as 24 weeks’ payment would mirror private sector terms and save £500m over the next three years, the government has claimed.

The five Civil Service trade unions backing the changes are: First Division Association, Prospect, Prison Officers’ Association, GMB and Unite.

Separately, PCS union is seeking a judicial review over the plans as it claims its members were not consulted properly over the changes.

Other changes confirmed:
• Civil servants made compulsorily redundant will receive cash compensation of up to two years’ pay – down from three years’ pay.
• For the lowest paid, cash payments will be capped at three years’ pay or £50,000, whichever is lower.
• Anyone who receives a severance payment and then returns to work for the Civil Service will have to pay back their cash settlement on a pro-rata basis. 
• The minimum qualifying period for a redundancy payment will be increased from one to two years.
• The new compensation scheme will have no effect on existing civil service pension schemes. 

 

Avatar
Louisa Peacock

previous post
The UK public employment service 100 years on
next post
Harriet Harman backs down over employment equality for churches

You may also like

Women at FTSE 100 firms won’t gain equality...

28 Sep 2023

Who is on strike and when?

28 Sep 2023

Education doubts see UK sink in world talent...

28 Sep 2023

Prison officers lured by Border Force posts

28 Sep 2023

Royal Mail targets next generation of posties

28 Sep 2023

New chief people officer at TSB: Ariam Enraght-Moony

28 Sep 2023

Childcare costs rocket by £200 per week, claims...

28 Sep 2023

How HR should support managers of hybrid teams

28 Sep 2023

Is your talent management aligned for success? Exploring...

28 Sep 2023

Labour pledges small business menopause guidance

27 Sep 2023

  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+