06 July 2007
Thousands of civil servants will soon be consulted over whether to escalate their dispute over pay, job cuts and privatisation.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services trade union will be asked on July 23 how they wish to proceed with their long-running dispute following the change of prime minister.
A PCS spokesman told Public Finance that the consultation was likely to expose 'civil servants' continued appetite to challenge Whitehall's reform agenda' under Gordon Brown. In his previous Treasury role, Brown was responsible for the 2% public sector pay cap that has fuelled two national strikes.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka has warned that a third strike could take place in the autumn but the union is committed to consult its 315,000 membership before a final decision is made.
Cabinet Office officials recently re-entered negotiations with the PCS. The union is discussing specific reform programmes with individual departments amid evidence that some organisations are making compulsory redundancies to meet Brown's strict job cuts targets.
PFjul2007
