Two unions signal a potential breakthrough in the dispute with the government

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Two public service unions have announced a potential breakthrough in their wage disputes with the government, with one organization canceling a planned strike and the second aborting a vote for strike action.

Prospect, which represents tens of thousands of government employees, including members in technical, managerial and scientific roles, halted a strike penciled for next month in his dispute over pay and terms.

The FDA, which represents senior public officials, suspended the ballot of its members which was due to begin next Tuesday.

Both labor unions the government had extended new invitations for talks in separate announcements on Friday, it said.

A third union representing civil servants, the Commercial and Public Services Union, told the Financial Times it was “hoping to have meaningful talks next week” with the government.

PCS staged its third national strike in April on wages, pensions and jobs. He recently renewed his six-month mandate for further action, but has no plans for nationwide strikes.

On Friday, however, the union announced the strike dates for workers at driving and vehicle licensing agencies in Swansea, which calls for 15 consecutive days of union action starting on 11 June.

It comes after unions expressed anger when previous talks resulted in an average pay offer of around 4.5%, substantially lower than that of other public sector workers. The UK faced six months of widespread strikes while workers resisted real wage cuts in an era of skyrocketing inflation.

Commenting on Prospect’s decision to call off its strike on June 7, Mike Clancy, its general secretary, said: “We have decided to suspend our planned strike action because the government has communicated a willingness to engage in meaningful talks.

“Throughout this controversy, we have made it clear that our members should be treated no worse than other public sector workers and that they deserve a wage settlement that recognizes the cost-of-living crisis that began last year.”

He said Prospect had called off the strike to enter the talks “in good faith” but warned: “We will stand by our action before a strike and will revise that position in light of the promised talks.”

The FDA, meanwhile, reversed a decision to vote for national industrial action on pay, which would have been the union’s first such vote in 40 years.

Dave Penmannsecretary general of the FDA, said the threat of industrial action was “intended to send a clear message” that the government “had failed to demonstrate that it values ​​government in the same way as the rest of the public sector.”

He said the invitation to talks “may indicate that the government intends to change its approach to paying this year” but added: “If not, the union is ready to proceed with the ballot for industrial action which we have prepared for.”

The Cabinet said the government had “maintained an open dialogue with unions”, adding: “We have met with the respective unions to understand what role Cabinet can play in resolving their concerns and avoiding industrial action where possible”.