In the article posted on 6 December 2022, advised that the Secretary of State’s budget was an attack on workers and our expectation was for a very difficult pay round this year. I can now confirm that Central Trade Union Side met with the Department of Finance on Friday 16 December to discuss the 22/23 pay offer. The Management Side set out the overall amount available for the Civil Service pay award and presented a ‘without prejudice’ offer.
The offer made was both derisory and insulting and the Trade Union Side challenged it and sought an increase in the amount available.
Given the parameters set by the Secretary of State and the Northern Ireland Office in relation to the budget we are not confident that the final offer will be in any way acceptable to members. As the discussions with Management Side are ‘without prejudice’ I am unable to give the specifics of the offer, but indications are that it is unlikely to be much more than a £500 flat rate increase on each pay point (gross), which represents a real terms pay cut of 10%. Disgracefully the NICS will need to make a special provision again this year to bring the lowest paid up the Living Wage.
Over the last number of years Civil Servants have been considered key workers and today continue to play a significant role in the absence of a NI Executive. Amid a cost-of-living crisis the ‘final’ offer will be derisory and insulting and for that reason the Civil Service Executive Committee met yesterday to consider the issue. The Executive has agreed that we should immediately commence preparations to join our sister trade unions in taking action to fight to win more.
We expect to receive the ‘final’ offer in the next day or two. The next bulletin will give details and the timeline for consultation. That bulletin will have accompanying paperwork for branches to make their consultation returns.
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It is extremely frustrating and disappointing that you are not getting better news at Christmas.