Pensions department pay deal ends 16-month stalemate

The bitter 16-month pay dispute involving Jobcentre and benefit agency staff at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has finally ended after union members voted to accept a deal.

Staff represented by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have agreed to accept a 15% pay increase for the lowest paid staff over three years. It also sees starting salaries increase by 20% over the same period.

The controversial DWP Per-formance Development System, which was introduced in April 2003, has also been substantially altered from its original form with the removal of quotas and relative assessment panels.

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The dispute has seen six days of official strike action, a campaign of non co-operation, and a number of unofficial staff walkouts, in addition to the union taking the department to the High Court over the bonus system.

PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said the deal was a positive move for the lowest paid staff, but said the union’s campaign against job cuts and pensions changes would continue.