PCS: Privatisation plan exposes nature of government’s ‘mutalism’ agenda
The recent decision to privatise the running of civil service pensions exposes the true nature of the government’s mutualism agenda, the Public and Commercial Services union says.
As prime minister David Cameron once again relaunches his ‘big society’, his government intends to turn My Civil Service Pension (MyCSP) – the body that administers civil service pension schemes – into a joint government/private sector partnership, with the possibility of limited profit-sharing for employees.
The move has been badged as part of a new push to encourage mutuals within the public sector. But the model to be adopted and the manner the decision was taken are far from being ’employee-led’.
Initially, MyCSP will be turned into a Government Owned Company – the last of which, the Forensic Science Service, was a complete disaster and collapsed losing £2 million a month. The majority stake will then be sold off to the private sector.
The decision was made by the Cabinet Office without any consultation or formal engagement with employees or their unions. Staff were simply informed of developments without the ability to negotiate or directly provide any input.
There are no benefits to staff, who would lose their civil service status and would not have access to the civil service pension schemes they themselves administer.
The union is opposed to the sell-off and is consulting its members on a response, and seeking meetings with permanent secretaries and Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude to press for a return to an in-house service.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This is not mutualism, it is privatisation by another name. Our members are rightly very worried about their future.
“Neither staff nor the union were consulted about this, which blows a hole right through the government’s claim that it wants to hand more power back to employees.”
ENDS
Notes
– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216
– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich
– Follow PCS on Twitter
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