Minutes of the PCS Senedd Cross-Party Group meeting held on 1 March 2022

Present: Mike Hedges MS, Ryland Doyle (MS Support Staff), Marianne Owens (PCS), Jayne Smith (PCS), Sian Wiblin (PCS).

Apologies: Heledd Fychan MS, Sian Boyles (PCS), Darren Williams (PCS).

PCS national campaign on pay and pensions

PCS was in the midst of a national consultative ballot of all public sector members, which was due to conclude on 21 March, over the issues of Treasury pay restraint in the face of the cost-of-living crisis and the failure of the UK government to honour the recommendation of the independent valuation process, that scheme members’ pension contributions should be reduced. The outcome of the ballot would give an indication as to members’ willingness to take industrial action, if necessary, and could lead to a statutory ballot either across the whole public sector membership or on particular areas.

Mike reaffirmed his sympathy for the union’s objectives and willingness to provide support in the event of the campaign resulting in industrial action.

Welsh devolved sector pay update

PCS had sent the Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans a pay claim for 2022/23, covering the Welsh Government itself and a number of subordinate employing bodies, which sought to address the pay inequities within the Welsh devolved sector by ‘levelling up’ to the best available pay rates, as well as seeking a cost-of-living award and improvements in working hours and annual leave. There had been no response as yet but when PCS submitted a similar claim the previous year, the Minister had declined to engage in single-table, cross-employer bargaining that the union was seeking and pay awards were determined on an employer-by-employer basis instead. At the same time, however, in the partnership forum for the Welsh Government and its sponsored bodies), officials had made a commitment to seek funds before the end of the present financial year to raise the pay band minima for the various arms-length bodies to the minima of the corresponding grades within the Welsh Government itself (which has the highest pay levels). A meeting on 1 February had suggested that there would be a concerned effort to give effect to this commitment but a further meeting held on the morning of the day that the CPG met had suggested that very little progress had been made, giving cause for concern, and one major employer had been excluded for reasons that weren’t entirely clear.

Mike asked that PCS write to him setting out its concerns, so that he could take the matter up.  

Workplace Covid-19 Safety Issues:

DVLA dispute: PCS’ ballot to renew its industrial action mandate had fallen short of the necessary 50% threshold and the union was now exploring our further industrial options, including possibly balloting on a more targeted basis. In the meantime, the union was seeking to resolve the dispute on the basis of the compromise that had been reached in discussions but not yet confirmed. PCS had also written to the DVLA’s chief executive and HR director, urging them to introduce a range of measures to keep staff safe from the latest wave of the virus and particularly stressing the need to reduce numbers on site.

Possible threat to jobs in DfT Shared Services, Swansea 

A possible threat had also arisen to the jobs of the 180 staff who work for Arvato in Swansea Vale, providing Shared Services under contract to the Department for Transport (DfT) such as paying bills, wages and maintenance of financial records for the DfT. The UK Government had announced a new Shared Services Strategy for the entire civil service, which had called into question the continuing existence and hence the employment of staff in Swansea Shared Service Centre. The union was seeking urgent clarification from the DfT and the wider civil service as to the future of the site; depending on that response, MSs’ support might be needed for a campaign to defend jobs in Swansea.

DWP: PCS continued to have serious concerns at the rapid and inflexible way in which the DWP is pushing staff to return to the workplace. The Department’s Permanent Secretary, Peter Schofield, having noted that in Wales working from home was no longer required by legislation, but was simply guidance, had sent out a blanket instruction to get staff back into the workplace, as a result of which the Department was introducing hybrid working, whereby staff were expected to spend at least 40% of their working time in the workplace. The new hub in Treforest (Ty Taf) was apparently on the DWP’s top 10 list for the number of positive Covid cases, so staff who had been working from home were understandably concerned that they were not being allowed to follow Welsh Government guidance. The union was seeking to address the issue through local negotiations.

Audit Wales allowances issue

PCS was concerned that Audit Wales had indicated its willingness, as a last resort, to use the threat of dismissal and re-engagement in order to compel staff to accept the loss of a travel allowance, which PCS members had rejected in a ballot following a failure to reach agreement through consultation. The union had made it clear that dismissal and re-engagement – or ‘fire and rehire’ – is an unacceptable practice that has no place in modern society and is strongly opposed by the Welsh Government and most Members of the Senedd. Management have not been willing to withdraw the threat, however, explaining that they have been advised that they could be open to legal challenge if they simply imposed the changes, which we would regard as far preferable. While it was to be hoped that all staff will eventually accept the new terms, PCS would be seeking support from MSs in the event that Audit Wales carried out its threat against any who might refuse.

Mike reaffirmed his opposition to ‘fire and rehire’ and offered his support in addressing this issue.

Sport Wales outsourcing update

PCS updated the Group on Sport Wales’ proposal to outsource the National Outdoor Centre at Plas Menai, Bangor to an external provider. The union was opposed to this in principle but had agreed to meet management regularly as the process moved forward, in order to remain well informed about the proposals and to influence them in a positive way wherever possible. but we reserve the right to campaign against the outcome. The formal procurement had begun on 21 January, with potential partner organisations invited to register an interest by 28 February, and was due to conclude early in 2023.

Mike expressed his opposition to outsourcing and offered his continued support on this matter.

Welsh Government Voluntary Exit Issue

PCS gave an update on the situation whereby a number of Welsh Government staff had been financially disadvantaged by taking Voluntary Early Release in 2017 under Civil Service Compensation Scheme terms that were subsequently struck down as unlawful; the UK Government had been forced to revert to the earlier, more generous terms, but the Welsh Government had declined to make up the shortfall for those affected. The Welsh Government had now written to PCS with an offer of £500 per person, which the union deemed inadequate, considering that those affected were believed to be owed between £10,000 and £27,000 each. After taking legal advice, the union had therefore strongly urged the members in question to reject the offer and was pursuing legal action against the Welsh Government. PCS said that it would welcome representations from MSs to the Welsh Government to make a more realistic offer and thereby avoid what could be a protracted and costly legal case.

Implications for Wales of UK Government ‘levelling-up’ agenda

PCS shared the widespread concerns about the implications for democratic devolution of the Westminster government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda, whereby UK ministers are offering investment at local level while sidelining the Welsh Government by making spending decisions in areas under its control, and wanted to work with MSs to reassert the primacy of devolved government and to campaign for Wales to receive adequate funding from Westminster. There was a brief discussion around these points.