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
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW 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
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW 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+

Employee relationsEmployment lawTrade unionsRedundancy

Unions hit out at Cabinet Office for announcing ‘deal’ on redundancy scheme

by Daniel Thomas 8 Oct 2010
by Daniel Thomas 8 Oct 2010

The Government has been accused of jumping the gun after suggesting yesterday that five trade unions had agreed to accept its latest offer on changes to the civil service redundancy scheme.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude announced that the 18-month long negotiations over redundancy terms had concluded after five of the six civil service unions agreed a deal, which specified that the maximum payout should be 21 months’ salary. The Government had previously offered a cap of 15 months’ pay.

“Throughout this process we have been committed to reaching a negotiated settlement that is affordable and gives protection to lower paid civil servants,” Maude said. “These five unions – Prospect, FDA, Prison Officers’ Association (POA), Unite and GMB – have made great efforts during the talks to reach an agreement about a sustainable scheme, while securing the best deal for their members.

“There is, of course, one name missing from the list of unions, the PCS (Public and Commercial Services union),” Maude added. “I greatly appreciate the efforts of the five other unions whose constructive proposals have allowed us to reach these new terms. I very much regret that the PCS leadership has not been able to sign up to this provisional agreement at this time.”

However, POA general secretary Steve Gillan said he was “absolutely appalled” that Maude has stated that the POA have reached these new terms with four other unions.

“He is misleading Parliament and the general public by his outrageous claims,” Gillan said. “The National Executive Committee of the POA is not due to meet until next Tuesday and it will only then be decided on our approach and response.”

The POA said it is concerned that any ongoing discussions may have been deliberately “sabotaged” by the Cabinet Office.

Unite also made it clear there was no agreement, saying its officials will be telling its 22,000 members that the offer was the best that could be achieved through negotiation, but the terms would be worse than before.

The PCS, which has already won a High Court challenge to Labour Government plans to overhaul the redundancy scheme, said the new offer is still “unacceptable”.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We remain committed to reaching an agreement, but we will not be bullied into agreeing massive cuts in redundancy terms simply because the Government wants to lay waste to our members’ jobs and livelihoods more cheaply. PCS is not just one union out of six. We are the overwhelming voice of civil servants, with twice as many members as the other five unions combined.”

The Government intends that the new terms should supersede the current terms following the passing of the interim legislation (Superannuation Bill), which receives its third reading in Parliament on 13 October.








XpertHR FAQs on redundancy



  • How do the courts define redundancy?
  • What is the correct procedure for making redundancies?
  • Can a fixed-term contract be terminated before the end of the term if the post is redundant?
  • Is “last in, first out” still a valid redundancy selection criterion?
  • Can a fixed-term contract be terminated before the end of the term if the post is redundant?

Avatar
Daniel Thomas

previous post
Workplace maintenance safety campaign launched
next post
HR jobs could be cut after Thomas Cook and Co-operative Travel merger

You may also like

One in five employers planning ‘no jab no...

19 May 2022

How should HR handle the highest inflation in...

18 May 2022

MP demands timeline on carer’s leave legislation

13 May 2022

Prime minister steps up calls for 90,000 civil...

13 May 2022

Deliveroo signs deal with union GMB to cover...

12 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: absence of employment bill leaves organisations...

10 May 2022

Morrisons saves 16,000 jobs with McColl’s rescue deal

10 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: Exclusivity contracts for low-paid workers to...

9 May 2022

MP seeks legal protections for employees undergoing fertility...

9 May 2022

PwC staff to benefit from extended summer hours...

5 May 2022
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...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 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 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
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW 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+