PUBLICEYEProspect members in public service

www.prospect.org.uk • Issue 2, June 2013

A MARK OF A CIVILISED SOCIETYIN his keynote speech to delegates, deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh praised members who took action on 30 November 2011 and whose stand helped improve the final deal on pensions. But he warned that the union faced challenging times ahead.

“We’re under attack from all sides. On our pay and conditions. On the value of the jobs we do as public servants. On the very notion of an active state as a vital part of a civilised and progressive society. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new initiatives and pressures and demands. But our strategy must be based on three elements.

“Firstly, a determined and sustained campaign to highlight the value of specialists in the civil service.

“Secondly an equally determined effort to build Prospect organisation and activity in the workplace.

“And thirdly a determined and sustained readiness to engage constructively with the employer but to take a stand where we need to.

“High quality public services are the mark of a civilised society. But this argument is far from won and the current government all too readily believes that the private sector does it better. The market is great if I want to buy shoes, or a car, or some new clothes. But I’m not prepared to hand over the safety and quality of our food, the integrity of our national defence capability or the rich diversity of our cultural heritage to the lowest bidder from the private sector.

“But we also have a more practical task. To build Prospect organisation in the workplace. The strength of our union is not based simply on the strength of our arguments – ultimately it lies in the spread of our membership and their willingness to support our goals. There is no surer way of building our influence than building our membership.”

Prospect • PublicEye – June 2013

RECRUIT A MEMBERThe more members we have – the stronger our voice. Ask your colleagues to join us at www.prospect.org.uk/join or call 020 7902 6600 for more details.

Our campaigning work must carry on

DECISIONS ABOUT what action to take over pay were top of the agenda for the civil service sector conference in Liverpool. With competing calls for a members’ ballot for co-ordinated industrial action; a call for other options to be considered including action short of a strike; demands for a specialist pay review, plus anger over the progress of the union’s pay campaign, delegates were kept busy.

Director of communications and research Sue Ferns also launched the union’s report into civil service reform – one year on from the government’s own plan for reform, (see page 8).

“We are ahead of the government again. We were ahead last year when we published our own vision for the future of the civil service. And now our review of progress is published before the government publishes its own progress report.”

Ferns told delegates that, based on the experience of Prospect members, the government had only partially achieved four of its seven key

objectives and questioned whether even these outcomes will produce positive reform.

Ferns also told delegates that a new report commissioned by Prospect from Income Data Services (IDS) had been published. It analyses progression arrangements for professional and specialist staff, covering some of the issues raised by current limits on progression, alternative approaches and what might constitute best practice.

Delegates were also presented with two case studies of successful branch recruitment strategies. Alison Smith from the Welsh Government branch and Ruth McGregor from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh branch revealed the secrets of their success, (see page 6).

The government’s austerity programme, the continued squeeze on pay and other terms and conditions were all under scrutiny at the civil service sector conference

■■ Manasseh■–■‘building■our■influence■through■building■our■membership’■(see■right)

Conference pictures: Jonathan Eeles

Prospect • PublicEye – June 2013

2

MPs call for single regulator for workplace pensions

THE INTRODUCTION of auto-enrolment makes rigorous pension scheme governance essential,

the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee said in April.

The committee looked at how to improve governance and best practice in workplace pensions.

Its report called on the government to reassess the case for establishing one body with sole responsibility for regulating workplace pensions.

The MPs noted concerns over current gaps in regulation and the potential for further gaps to arise as a result of having three regulators. They argued that a single regulator is

necessary to ensure that all members of workplace pension schemes are adequately and consistently protected.

The report also warned that deferred-member charges and member-borne consultancy charges have the potential to cause serious consumer detriment. It said that both should be banned by the government, if significant progress is not made in the very near future by the industry towards ending them.

■■ ‘Improving■governance■and■best■practice■in■workplace■pensions’■can■be■found■at■www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmworpen/768/768.pdf

NEWS

HP SOURCE

Parmjit DhandaParliamentary, media and

campaigns officer

Prospect has a policy, now we must deliver itTHERE was a very firm steer from Prospect’s civil service sector conference.

A head of steam has been created by a combination of a pay freeze followed by a pay cap, big increases in pension contributions allied to a loss of pay progression and a relentless stream of criticism of the work done by civil servants by their political masters.

There was vigorous debate about the union’s response. If your branch’s members are facing a real-terms pay cut of 13 per cent, it’s not surprising that some delegates wanted to talk about ballots and industrial action. Although that wasn’t the prevailing view, there was a consensus over calls for an independent review of specialist pay across the civil service to address pay differences between the private and public sector and to look at the issues of fairness around pay, terms and conditions – a pragmatic and medium-term policy to get the politics out of the equation and some evidence-based research in to it.

In the last few months I’ve attended meetings with Ed Balls, Rachel Reeves and Jon Trickett, three key members of the shadow cabinet in an effort to get a civil service pay review body idea into the policy mix.

I’m a realist, and know there’s much work to be done, including with the other parties. And we may fail. But my own experience, and that of other former ministers, will be that independent structures such as the ‘social partnership’ that existed at the Department for Education instilled competent advice to ministers on terms and conditions, and did so away from the hungry mouths of the media. It’s a benefit to employers and employees alike.

So conference gave us a clear steer on the policy they would like to see. The next step for Prospect is to create a mechanism to fight for it. Over the summer, Prospect will be gearing up to lobby politicians about the issues that matter to us as we head towards the 2015 general election.

We’ll be looking for pledges of support. You can bet the Prospect Pledge card will contain a request to MPs – urging them to support the creation of an independent pay review body for skilled professionals in the civil service – in their next manifesto.

If the passion of the conference debate is matched by the vigour of our campaigning, we can still win this battle.

Sailing by…FRANCES O’Grady, TUC general secretary, dropped in to say ‘hello’ to Prospect members at the UK Hydrographic Office in Taunton in May.

UKHO provide nautical charts of the world’s oceans and navigational services for ports to support world shipping, including the Royal Navy..

“It was good to be able to see a little-known part of our public services.

“The skills, knowledge and

generations of experience in charting the world’s seas came through and it was great to see the enthusiasm and commitment to the work of keeping people safe.

“Civil servants are under pressure at the moment and highly-skilled workers are paying a price for choosing to work in public service. The squeeze in pay is not working for the economy and will damage crucial work like that done by UKHO if it continues.”

MP PICTURES: LONDON NEWS PICTURES / REX FEATURES; STEFANO CAGNONI; RICHARD GARDNER / REX FEATURES

WHETHER YOU agree with the government’s austerity programme or not, it is clear that there is a disproportionate impact on members in the civil service, says sector president Geoff Fletcher.

Obvious examples are pay restraint, pension reform, budget cuts, and privatisation. Less visible attacks are on employment rights through legislation, deregulation and the erosion of current civil service terms and conditions.

It is clear that we must do all we can to campaign against this agenda and support the wider union in its vision of presenting an effective alternative to the austerity plan.

This covers a range of campaigns with each one requiring sustained effort, and an ability to be flexible, as factors change or opportunities arise.

On pay, we have a strategy that allows branches freedom to take industrial action

individually where there is support and where there is common ground to coordinate with other branches.

We are lobbying for the creation of an independent civil service pay review body, and we are looking to advance our campaigning to demonstrate not only the skills of our members but their value to society and the cost to society if they are lost.

We are also faced with the challenges flowing from civil service reform, and are working to counter the assumptions set out within it.

Finally, we need to ensure effective organisation to provide the best defence of members’ interests. This means we need to be as strong as we can as a sector by focusing on recruitment and retention.

This can only be achieved by being organised at branch level. We must have a recruitment plan based on organisation and campaigning, addressing what our members see as priorities and work closely with committed reps and full-time officers.

Liverpool conference leaves us united

No sense in new model for defence acquisitionPROSPECT has raised concerns about the government’s plans for the organisation which buys and maintains equipment for the UK’s armed forces.

The union says changing the status of Defence Equipment and Support into a Government-owned, Contractor-operated entity (GOCO) will cost more, deliver a less effective service to the military and introduce additional risks by over-complicating safety-critical decision-making.

“This would mean a private company being responsible for managing the UK’s entire defence procurement programme. No other country has done this,” said Steve Jary, national secretary.

“Nor are we convinced that setting up a new watchdog for sensitive defence contracts not currently put out to tender will deliver the savings Philip Hammond claims,” Jary added.

Prospect believes the proposal to transfer the whole of defence acquisition and support to a private contractor raises questions about:

● potential conflicts of interest ● length of contracts ● ministerial and parliamentary

oversight ● decision making and assessment

of risks the GOCO would bear.

NO FRIENDS UP NORTHPROPOSALS to introduce charges at three museums in the north – or even close one of them – have been condemned as ‘baffling’ by Prospect.

The Science Museum Group is looking at introducing charges or closing either one of the National Railway Museum (York and Shildon), the National Museum of Science and Industry (Manchester) or the National Media Museum (Bradford).

National secretary Alan

Leighton said: “Unfortunately this is not an isolated issue. After cuts of 15 per cent in 2011, and further cuts to cash baselines for 2013 onwards, all national museums, galleries and other bodies sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are now being asked to consider how to cope with further cuts of 5 per cent, 10 per cent or 15 per cent.

“These organisations have already implemented substantial

cuts to their activities, including significant job losses and pay freezes. Further cuts are bound to make organisations consider introducing charges and closing museum branches or floors.

“The financial logic for such cuts is baffling, given that every £1 spent on the arts generates £4 for the economy. We are talking about organisations that make a major contribution to the UK by enabling people to develop an interest in and an understanding of science, technology and the arts. The government is abrogating its responsibility. It’s

all very well telling museums that how they spend their money is their choice, when cuts have limited their options so dramatically.”

Leighton called on the government to drop its plans to further reduce funding in this area, including possible plans to close down the DCMS.

■■ The■Independent■newspaper■published■a■letter■from■Leighton■on■this■issue.■It■was■quickly■followed■by■comments■from■the■Archbishop■of■York■who■said■he■was■“shocked”■by■warnings■that■one■of■three■museums■in■the■North■of■England■may■close.

Prospect • PublicEye – June 20133NEWS

PAY WAS top of the agenda for delegates, with the first two motions to be debated calling for a programme of co-ordinated, long-term industrial action.

LOST

1

Mover Simon Hester (Health and Safety Executive) said civil servants faced a real-terms pay cut of 17 per cent over the next five years. Success in

maintaining contractual progression did nothing to help over half of members who were stuck at the top of their pay bands.

Speaking on behalf of the sector executive, deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh accepted the analysis and recognised the frustrations expressed. But he questioned whether members were ready to undertake a campaign of sustained industrial action.

CARRIED

2 Mover Cyril Day (Department for Transport) agreed that it was not possible to successfully counter the government’s

ideological attack on a case-by-case basis. He called for a campaign in partnership with other unions and the TUC.

David Nunn (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) supported both motions. He called for a programme of membership information and engagement before moving to an industrial action ballot.

John Riddett (Scottish Government) shared the frustration with government pay policy but did not think this was a sufficient basis for industrial action.

Jim Henderson assured delegates that the sector executive would continue to work through its own campaign sub-committee as well as with the National Trade Union Committee, the TUC and other unions on the Public Sector Liaison Group, including taking coordinated

Over 150 delegates from across the UK flocked to Liverpool in June for the civil service sector conference. Facing unprecedented attacks on pay, other terms and conditions, and living standards they were ready to tackle a packed agenda that would set the policy objectives for the sector over the next year.

Deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh told delegates his first few months in the role of sector secretary had been a baptism of fire.Manasseh mounted a robust and defiant defence of public services and the work of members to maintain professional standards.

■■ Hester

■■ Henderson

■■ Manasseh

■■ Grey

■■ Day

■■ Williams

■■ Riddett

■■ Atherton

Prospect • PublicEye – June 2013

4 SECTOR CONFERENCE

action where appropriate. Motion 1 was lost but motion 2 calling for other options to be considered was carried.

CARRIED

3 Delegates backed a call for an independent and urgent review of specialist pay across the civil service. Speaking on behalf of the sector

executive, Alan Grey cited the perverse consequences of current Treasury pay guidance, such as the Ministry of Defence’s decision to outsource annual expenditure of £16bn and 15,000 staff due to its inability to pay enough to attract and retain the defence acquisition professionals required.

CARRIED

4 Delegates backed a motion expressing concern about an apparent lack of progress in Prospect’s civil service pay campaign. Mover Dave Williams

(UK Hydrographic Office) acknowledged some successes in securing equal pay, but felt that members would be willing to take some form of action. He urged Prospect to take this forward.

Margaret Woleg (EFRA) disagreed about lack of progress but called for better communication with branches.

Speaking on behalf of the sector executive, Alan Atherton outlined a range of actions already taken around pay claims, pay progression and the call for a specialist pay review body. Opposing the motion with a ‘heavy heart’, Martin Pennycook (Defence Acquisition and Maritime South) said government dogma would not be defeated by a civil service strike.

CARRIED

5 Delegates carried a motion calling for stronger leadership on a distinct Scottish pay campaign. Mover John Riddett (Scottish Government) noted

that the Treasury pay remit guidance was not relevant in the devolved administrations.

Information, engagement, campaigning and action!

■■ Campbell

■■ Palmer

■■ Woleg

■■ Upfield

■■ Nunn

■■ Henderson

■■ Tozer

■■ Pennycook

■■ Staffolani

■■ Yates

■■ Brown

■■ Wade

Prospect • PublicEye – June 20135SECTOR CONFERENCE

CARRIED

13 Don Campbell (Ordnance Survey) introduced a wider debate on terms and conditions, arguing that a high quality civil service needs to lead the

market for terms and conditions and not simply follow the practices of other employers. In reality, government wanted to avoid criticism for offering good terms and conditions despite evidence that the existing employment package was not sufficiently attractive to recruit high-calibre staff.

CARRIED

14 Mover Margaret Woleg (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) expressed anger at the constant attacks from government and media on the work

of civil servants, which was at odds with the reality of 24-hour, flexible service provision.

CARRIED

15 David Nunn (DSTL) said he was astonished to note that the Daily Mail appeared to be setting government policy on terms and conditions.

Commentators such as Richard Littlejohn and Melanie Phillips would only be satisfied when civil servants were replaced by private contractors.

CARRIED

16 Michelangelo Staffolani (British Library) called on the sector to use all means necessary to defend members’ terms and conditions.

REMITTED

12 Delegates remitted motion 12 instructing the sector to reject adverse changes to terms and conditions. Mover Joan Tozer (Valuation Office

Agency) said arrangements like flexitime were highly valued and encouraged staff retention – even when pay increases were being held back.

Russell Brown expressed the sector’s support for the motion’s intentions, but noted that negotiating terms and conditions was delegated to departments and agencies and that changes were having varying impact across different parts of the civil service.

CARRIED

17 Delegates backed a motion moved by Richard Palmer (HSE) which called on the sector to coordinate the collation of the main terms and

conditions in order to set benchmarks for negotiating and campaigning. But speaking for the executive, Mick Upfield pointed out the difficulties in collecting and maintaining the currency of data from around 200 bargaining units.

Graeme Henderson (Department of Health) proposed remission, stating that the scale of the task should not be underestimated. Although useful, collection of information did not in itself constitute a campaign and the sector had already been tasked with a range of campaigning priorities.

Tina Yates (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) disagreed, stating that reps should be thoroughly aware of terms and conditions in their own areas.

Martin Pennycook (Defence Acquisition and Maritime South) opposed the motion, expressing concern about potential misuse of information that became publicly available.

However Eleanor Wade (Intellectual Property Office) said branches needed the same information that was already available to employers through the Cabinet Office.

The civil service should set the benchmark for employment, not set the pace in a race to the bottom

‘The Daily Mail appears to be setting government policy on terms and conditions’

■■ Alison■and■Ruth■take■time■out■during■a■coffee■break■to■discuss■Prospect’s■international■development■programme■with■Beverley■Hall

join. The government’s austerity policies has made long-standing non-members join the union.

“We are determined to keep members informed, we work closely with management, manage change and communicate which helps to get members involved and take ownership of workplace issues.

“Scientists are very good at asking questions and asking why something is being done or proposed. Our mantra is: highlight successes, help the individual and keep the union profile high.”

From the floor Simon Hester (Health and Safety Executive) told delegates that cuts to facility time have forced his branch to streamline its work. But he added that when the union is active and has a presence in the workplace then people will join. It is not just about industrial action.

Prospect • PublicEye – June 2013

6 SECTOR CONFERENCE

Branches commended as austerity aids recruitmentCommon sense, incremental improvement and talking to individuals was the way forward for the union’s cadre of recruiters conference heard

“WHERE ARE the new members? How do we recruit them? What are the messages and who are the messengers?”

Before introducing the branches singled out for praise for their efforts on recruitment, deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh told delegates that civil service membership overall had declined by 5 per cent in 2012. “We need positive conversations in every workplace. The difference between success and failure is very small. Progress is incremental with small steps and tasks done regularly,” he told delegates.

Branch secretary, Alison Smith (Welsh Government) outlined the work of the branch: “It is fairly basic stuff,” she told delegates. “We speak to all new members of staff and recruit through a combination of personal contact, persistence and the recognition from people of the work done by Prospect on issues of concern to them.

“We attend induction meetings and meet new starters. We provide them with web links and recruitment sessions. Our specialist union is an attraction. However, it is vital that some of the new members at least are trained, so that they are more likely to become active and part of a new generation of reps.”

Branch chair, Ruth McGregor (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) told delegates that branch membership had doubled in 18 months.

“It started in the run up to the day of action in November 2011 when disenchanted people from other unions began to

‘Our mantra is: highlight successes, help the individual and keep the union profile high’

■■ Hester■■ McGregor■■ Smith

WITH A range of exhibitors from professional bodies, Skills Councils, other government departments, academic institutions, STEM networks and trade unions, there was no shortage of interest at the Fair.

As well as a series of seminars around career development there were keynote speakers: Sir Mark Walport, government chief scientific adviser and head of the Government Office for Science. He was previously Director of the Wellcome Trust; Baroness Margaret Wall ended her 20 year trade union career as head of policy and political engagement at Amicus; and Professor Elliot Shubert from the Natural History Museum, a native of St Louis, Missouri USA who received his PhD from the University of Connecticut.

As the incoming chief scientific adviser, Sir Mark paid tribute to the work of Sir John Beddington, the outgoing CSA.

He told attendees that the civil service had a variety of opportunities and argued that the skills of scientists were applicable across the civil service and people shouldn’t see a science degree purely as vocational. He pointed out that when he was studying medicine, he had no idea that one day he would be a permanent secretary in Whitehall.

He said the common denominator for science jobs were analytical skills, critical thinking and communication

■■ l-r:■Sir■Mark■Walport,■Baroness■Margaret■Wall■and■Professor■Elliot■Shubert

Make your CV thoughtful but stay positive and happyThe Department for Business, Innovation and Skills hosted a careers fair for young scientists and engineers in May organised by Prospect and the Government Office for Science

PICTURES: M

ARK THO

MAS

skills. “Taken together you can do anything. You need to view science as a qualification for life.”

Baroness Wall took the opportunity to announce that she had joined Prospect because: “It says things differently from other unions. Media coverage says unions are not progressive, but Prospect is an organisation whose raison d’etre is to improve members’ futures and their career development.”

The Baroness, who previously worked in the chemical industry, and had seen many major science and engineering companies. “It is important that what goes on in the private sector is emulated in the civil service.” But she bemoaned the fact that of 3,000 senior civil servants only 69 were scientists.

Professor Elliot Shubert from the Natural History Museum announced that he was celebrating his 40th

anniversary of becoming a scientist. He originally intended to be a dentist, but gradually realised that the more he studied biology as part of a science degree, the less he wanted to “look into people’s mouths.”

In 1968 he was drafted into the US army but was sent to Washington DC rather than Vietnam and began a lifelong study of an algae – Desmodesmus – that allowed him to study and understand cancer genes. He moved to UK in 1994 and is currently editor of Systematics and Biodiversity published by the NHM.

His advice to young scientists? “Stay positive, and be happy. Believe in yourself because no one else will. Keep an open mind. Be flexible, take advantage of opportunities. Make your CV thoughtful – and maintain a work-life balance, there are other things in life than work. Enjoy life.”

● CP Snow’s 1960 book Science and Government has been re-published, with a new foreword by former chief scientific adviser Sir Robert May. He remarks that Snow’s insights into what makes for effective science advice for government remain relevant today. Snow concludes that the best science advice does not come from a single individual, but from close scrutiny of a topic by a range of experts weighing up the evidence for a course of action before making recommendations to decision makers.

Prospect • PublicEye – June 20137CAREERS

Published by Prospect,New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN

PublicEye editor: Graham Stewart e graham.stewart@prospect.org.uk t 020 7902 6605

Printed by: College Hill Press

Many experts have left for better paid, more stable employment in the private sector

ON THE day that Prospect’s head of communications and research, Sue Ferns launched the union’s review – one year on – of civil service reform, the Guardian newspaper also covered the Prospect report on its own website as part of its Public Leaders Network.

Two days later Sue also took part in a live discussion event on the Guardian’s website with Peter Thomas, director of the Institute for Government; Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union; Matthew Flinders, professor of politics at the University of Sheffield; Paula Brown, vice-president of PCS; and Sean Worth, strategic adviser at MHP Communications.

The union warns that its evidence-based critique demonstrates the negative consequences of prioritising crude cost-cutting over a strategic approach to reform – not least in terms of loss of specialist expertise.

It also makes suggestions for building more positively on key pillars of the reform programme. It argues that the government should initiate such a process when it publishes its Spending Review on June 26.

Standards should be at the heart of any reform agenda – for delivering professional public services; ethics and accountability; and fair employment.

Instead the reform plan seems to have become a vehicle for introducing counter-productive job losses and attacks on the terms and conditions of the employees left behind, with a devastating knock-on effect on services.

The government’s reform plan set out seven key objectives. Prospect’s report shows that government has partially achieved four of these but, based on members’ experience outlined in case studies, the union questions whether even these outcomes will produce positive reform.

Four main objectivesFirst, there is no doubting that the civil service is now smaller, as the government wanted, but it is not more strategic. Cuts have hit admin budgets hard and significantly affected key operational areas.

Reductions have not been managed in a way that retains essential skills and many experts have left for better paid, more stable employment in the private sector.

Second, policy resources have been focused on ministerial priorities. Insufficient attention has been paid to the need for capacity to respond to events as they arise.

Many of the government’s recent challenges have been technical or scientific, whether wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the ash dieback crisis or horsemeat in food. Good quality advice, underpinned by specialist knowledge, is essential for effective decision-making, but improvements are being hampered by skills gaps.

Third, a five-year capabilities plan was published six months later than scheduled but it does contain positive intentions to cut across departmental silos; build organisational capacity in key specialist skills; invest in staff and promote a diverse and inclusive civil service. However, it is highly unlikely that these aspirations will be delivered in the current climate of austerity. Quite simply, quality comes at a price.

Fourth, government has introduced a service-wide competency framework but the

system is complex, subjective and ill-suited to specialist roles. Staff fear it will be used as a stick alongside the performance management system.

Failure elsewhereOn the other three objectives, the report card shows complete failure.

The West Coast franchising debâcle is a prime example of failure to improve the delivery of major projects.

The controversial aim of giving ministers a stronger role in appointing senior civil servants has not been achieved, but that is no bad thing. The objective of a modern employment package has become a Trojan horse for a demoralising review of staff terms and conditions, based on the flimsiest evidence. At the same time pay structures are increasingly complex and opaque.

The government says it will review the reform plan one year on. It is now time to do so.

But civil servants won’t be holding their breath until the government starts to value the skills and contribution of specialists; coordinate policy making across departments and public bodies; and implement a genuine ‘employee deal’ based on fair employment practices.

■■ Download■–■http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00771

Prospect • PublicEye – June 2013

8 CIVIL SERVICE REFORM

Prospect has sent its review of progress on civil service reform to all Westminster MPs, Scottish MPs and Welsh Assembly members – Government that can needs people who know how – one year on

Civil service reform: glass half full or empty