Government making avoidable Civil Service strike action almost inevitable

Prospect union has announced its intention to undertake further strike action in May and June across its public service membership.  

Prospect represents tens of thousands of specialist, technical, professional, managerial and scientific staff in the Civil Service. Members work at a wide range of employers, including the Met Office, Defence and Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Health and Safety Executive, Trinity House, Intellectual Property Office, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Natural England and UK Research and Innovation.  

Prospect members in 40 employers across the public sector previously took strike action on 15 March in a dispute over pay, job numbers, and proposed cuts to redundancy terms. Members’ pay has declined by up to 26% since 2010. 

Members have been undertaking action short of a strike – including working to contracted hours and an overtime ban – since 16 March. 

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said: “We continue to press the government to engage meaningfully in talks to resolve the issues on pay that have forced our members into taking industrial action.  

“Our members across the Civil Service have already shown admirable commitment on both strike action and action short of a strike. We will therefore be taking the necessary legal steps for members to take strike action in May and June. 

“This industrial action is entirely avoidable, but the failure by government to even start a process of negotiation is making it almost inevitable.  

“The government must get its act together and engage with Prospect and the other Civil Service trade unions, just as it has done with other public sector workers.”