Mark Serwotka is urging the government to stop its attacks on civil servants, ensure that money is made available for above inflation pay rises and for the programme of office closures to stop.

Our general secretary has issued the following new year message.

“Years of government austerity have forced down wages in real terms in the civil service and other parts of the public sector. The civil service in particular has been under pay restraint since 2008.

“It’s shocking that civil service pay has become so low that the second biggest department – the HMRC – has to make special adjustments to comply with the government’s own minimum wage legislation. Years of pay freezes and caps have meant some of our lowest paid members have to take second jobs or visit food banks to survive.

“99% of PCS members voting in a national ballot said they wanted the pay cap to be scrapped and 80% said they are prepared to consider strike action if the government does not resource public services so they can adequately fund an above inflation pay rise for all staff. This resounding message from the government’s own staff needs to be listened to.

“The government showed their true colours in the November budget when they failed to even mention the pay cap and did not increase civil service budgets in order to fund a decent pay rise.

“Our members have been at the front line of cuts for years and have to implement some of the worst excesses of government policy, like the failing Universal Credit system. Our members in the HMRC are facing office closures, experienced tax officers are leaving the service at a time that staffing needs to be increased to chase down the tax gap and prepare for Brexit. Our members in the Home Office are also trying to cope with the pressures they face and many court staff are under pressure due to office closures. Our members deserve a pay rise and for their hard work to be properly recognised.

“Given the experience of the past seven years and the manifest chaos of the last seven months the prospects for a change of heart by this Government seems remote in the extreme. Therefore PCS would welcome an early general election in 2018 in order that the British people can choose if they want this chaos to continue or a fresh start with a government committed to fairness for working people, returning some key services to public ownership and chasing down the tax owed, evaded or avoided in order to invest in our children’s future.”