PCS members on the picket line at TPR today. Photo: PCS / Brian Devlin
Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working at The Pensions Regulator (TPR) have walked out again today – launching a fresh round of strike action amid an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.
At the beginning of the month, the union announced another round of strike action at TPR - saying members would walk out on 28 and 29 February, as well as 1, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 20 March.
Union members at the regulator have previously taken more than ten weeks of strike action, including several days in January.
Meaningful consultation
In a letter sent by PCS to TPR yesterday (27 February) - seen by Professional Pensions - the union said a commitment to "enter into meaningful consultation" over its proposals "could lead to PCS pausing the action".
The proposals PCS has asked TPR to commit to include using funds saved on salary payments as a result of the strike action to make a one-off payment to staff; and to build, in consultation with PCS, a pay flexibility case to secure a an additional 2% pay to the 2024/25 maximum offered by the Civil Service Pay Remit.
PCS also asked TPR to commit to a full review of its job evaluation and reward scheme, with a view to ending performance related pay; to improve annual leave entitlement to match that of staff in the Department for Work and Pensions; and to improve pay and terms and conditions of staff TUPE transferred into TPR.
In the letter, the PCS added: "It is clear that we have a lot of common ground and that most of these proposals could be achievable with a genuine will to agree a way forward to end this dispute."
A TPR spokesperson said: "We continue to have regular discussions with the PCS about our pay and reward offer for next year, having now exhausted negotiations for last year's pay. What we pay staff is fair and this year our lowest paid workers received a pay rise of 6.25%."
