Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (PCS) Strike Calendar
Strike Type: GOV
Latest Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office Industrial Action Updates (3)
Members within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are commencing strike action because the department refused to provide assurances regarding compulsory redundancies and failed to meet essential union demands.
The core of the disagreement involves the FCDO's restructuring plan, with the union seeking a guarantee against compulsory job losses, meaningful consultation, updated equality impact assessments, and adherence to existing civil service redundancy agreements.
Management rejected proposals that could avert compulsory redundancies and declined to share critical data about staffing figures, open positions, and the number of employees still considered at risk from the restructure.
The union determined that management was unwilling to offer the necessary commitments following discussions with senior officials, leading to the serving of notice for industrial action.
Strike action is scheduled for several full days and a partial day throughout the latter half of July.
Action short of a strike will also be implemented concurrently between specific dates in July.
Picketing is planned at designated FCDO locations during the morning hours on each strike day.
This action is framed as a stand taken for job security and the integrity of public service against workforce reductions.
Members within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office voted in a ballot for strike action and action short of a strike.
The turnout for the ballot was 48.76%, which did not meet the 50% threshold required by anti-trade union laws, preventing industrial action from being called at this time.
The voting concerned plans to restructure the workforce, insufficient consultation with unions, and the lack of guaranteed protection against compulsory redundancies.
Among those who voted, support for action short of a strike was 93.80%, and support for strike action was 76.93%.
The result reflects significant dissatisfaction with the proposed job cuts and the manner in which the restructuring is being handled.
Union representatives are meeting soon to determine the subsequent steps in their campaign.
The strong showing of support from those who participated should prompt reconsideration of the restructure plans and discussions regarding a freeze on compulsory redundancies.
The outcome serves as a key learning point regarding the necessity for every member to cast their vote in future ballots.
A trade union has formally written to the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) to initiate a dispute regarding the department's planned major restructuring and job reductions.
This restructuring is projected to impact between 25% and 30% of the staff and is set to commence on November 12th.
The union asserts that the FCDO has failed to engage in meaningful consultation with them concerning the potential job losses.
This lack of consultation is considered a significant violation of a national agreement, known as the 'protocols,' applying to all government departments undertaking changes that involve redundancies.
Additionally, the dispute includes opposition to a new performance-related pay system that the department has implemented.
The established dispute resolution procedure requires the FCDO to pause the execution of the proposed changes until adequate consultation with the union has taken place.
The official correspondence details the pressing reasons for activating this formal dispute process.
Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office Strike Calendar
0 Strike Date 5 Planned