The PCS National Executive Committee has called a ballot of union members recommending rejection of the government’s attack on the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. The ballot will run from 7 – 28 November 2016. Make sure you vote.  

The Government’s attack on the Civil Service Compensation Scheme will make getting rid of staff easier and cheaper. This comes at a time when DWP are planning to reduce the overall size of its estate by 20%. The People and Locations Programme is looking now at which DWP offices to keep, which could be co-located, and most worryingly, which to close. All buildings are being looked at, so no site is safe from closure.

PCS will fight offices closures, but where offices do close, members could be faced with a choice of moving to somewhere beyond normal daily travel or accepting an exit package.

Many members would welcome the opportunity to leave the DWP on a good package. The cuts to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme that the Tories are trying to force through will mean that anyone who wants to take up the option of an exit package will face doing so on much more worse terms and a much less money.

This is why it is vitally important that DWP members vote in the ballot to reject the changes to the CSCS. The chance of more DWP exit packages in the near future is very real. Our members cannot afford to let them get away with it on the cheap.

Fran Heathcote

PCS DWP Group President”