WIREDGOV

Yesterday's announcement by the Cabinet Office that it will turn the organisation that administers civil service pensions into a 'mutual' is privatisation by the back door, PCS says.

The decision flies in the face of what My Civil Service Pension staff say they want and goes against Francis Maude's claim that he would not do anything without the consent of the workforce – a commitment given to representatives of PCS and other unions at a meeting with the cabinet minister on 31 March.

The union says this is not a mutual venture – there has been no consent or co-operation and it does not involve co-ownership – it is being branded as such to make privatisation sound more attractive.

Unlike the government, PCS has consulted MyCSP staff about what they want, holding meetings at all MyCSP offices. Overwhelmingly, members have said they do not want to go down this route, and want to retain their civil service status.

The government has refused to allow staff to retain this status, which would include having access to the civil service pension schemes they administer, and the union has not ruled out balloting for industrial action.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The government claims this will be innovative and beneficial to staff, but it is not a mutual organisation and there are no benefits for our members who will be forced out of the public sector.

"This would be privatisation by the back door, with our members' civil service contracts ripped up, and we will do everything we can to oppose it."