Last week, the FDA’s Executive Committee met to discuss the revised pay package announced by the Cabinet Office on 2 June. They agreed that it represents a significant improvement on the original pay framework for the civil service and addresses most of the factors that led to the dispute. The committee therefore decided to cancel the proposed ballot for industrial action. However, the FDA will continue to campaign for long-term, strategic reform of the broken civil service pay system.

Following this decision FDA General Secretary Dave Penman said: 

“Industrial action was never an end in itself. The decision to amend the remit guidance for 2023/24, as well as the commitments on job security and reform of the SCS pay system, represent a significant improvement on the pay framework that was announced in April. This also represents a step-change in the engagement with the FDA and other trade unions.” 

FDA National Officers have already begun working with departments to make sure the one-off payment can be made as soon as possible and will continue to pursue the union’s pay objectives through 2023/24 negotiations with individual departments. This will include pressing employers to make sure they use all of the flexibilities afforded to them under the remit guidance, such as business cases to fund longer term pay reform and of course, the distribution of the 5% consolidated pay increase available to them this year. 

For civil service employers not covered by the Pay Remit Guidance, the FDA will press these employers to at least match the revised package, and ensure SCS reform is not left behind once again. 

The union recognises that although the government has now heard our message and agreed to revise their pay offer, there is more work to be done. The FDA will now campaign for long-overdue strategic reform of the civil service pay system – which has proved itself to be broken at all levels.

Speaking about the union’s plans, Penman said:

“The FDA will be working over the summer to set out a coherent vision for civil service pay and working with partners and stakeholders who share that vision to start the task of convincing this government, or the next, of the need for urgent and radical reform.

“There is clearly still more to do – this year and in the longer term – but that should not detract from the significant achievement in persuading the government to revise its offer. The FDA’s decision to ballot for national industrial action over pay, the first time in over 40 years, sent a clear message to government about our members’ anger. Ultimately, the government listened.