HR professionals let off the hook by PCS union over latest threat of industrial action in Civil Service

HR professionals let off the hook by PCS union over latest threat of industrial action in Civil Service

HR professionals have been absolved of blame for the escalation of the latest Civil Service dispute by the trade union behind it.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) director of policy Charlie Cochrane said HR teams were “doing as much as they can” to solve the problem.

PCS members voted this week to intensify the campaign that has seen one-day strikes by more than 100,000 civil servants on both 31 January and 1 May.

Longer strikes, a national petition and co-ordinated action with other public sector unions are all being considered by the union.

Workers are angry about privatisation, pay levels and job cuts as the government drives through its public sector reforms.

But Cochrane told Personnel Today: “Senior HR figures are doing as much as they can. It needs some high-level intervention. If the message came from on top, then I’m sure something would happen.”

Cochrane insisted he still had faith a resolution could be found without resorting to further industrial action.

“The message is that we can sort this out if we get around the table and talk it through,” he said.