Civil service redundancy payout changes to prompt legal action

Posted 11/12/2009

A recent government decision to cut the amount of compensation paid to civil servants facing redundancy is to lead to legal and industrial action.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has revealed that it will be allying with other bodies representing civil service workers in an attempt to force a judicial review of the proposed changes.

In addition, a strike ballot is set to be held among the 270,000 members of PCS, which fears the compensation change is set to lead to an increase in redundancies.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of PCS, stated that the government should seek to negotiate over the ruling if it wishes to avoid the legal challenge.

He said: “Ministers need to honour their promises and come to an agreement with the unions to avoid a damaging dispute.”

Gordon Brown has already been made to defend the need for changes to the current system when questioned on the issue by MP Dai Harvard, who was speaking at the behest of PCS.