Pay cap announcement will satisfy no one, says FDA union

13 Sep 2017 11:44 AM

Responding to yesterday's announcement on the public sector pay cap, Dave Penman, General Secretary of the FDA Union for senior managers and professionals in public service, yesterday said:

“Today's announcement on public sector pay will ultimately satisfy no one. Clearly timed to coincide with the TUC conference and speech by the Leader of the Opposition, it also came on the day when inflation rose to 3.9%.

“So the Government finally unlocks the pay cap, but does so without understanding how such a mealy-mouthed attempt will play with public servants or their representatives. With no additional funding, this will simply heap further pressure on already overstretched departments to make more cuts.

“After seven years of pay restraint, we need the Government to recognise the impact this policy has had on those who have delivered billions in efficiencies whilst maintaining vital services.

“Today's announcement is not a pay strategy for the public sector, it's a political reaction to events - and not a very good one at that.”

Notes for editors

  1. The FDA is the trade union for the UK's senior public servants and professionals at grade HEO and above. FDA membership includes more than 18,000 senior civil servants, diplomats, Government policy advisors, prosecutors, tax professionals, economists, solicitors and other professionals working across Government and the NHS.
  2. The FDA (formerly the First Division Association) should be referred to simply as "The FDA" and can be described as "the senior public servants' union".
  3. The FDA can be found on Twitter @FDA_union and at www.fda.org.uk. General Secretary Dave Penman tweets as @FDAGenSec.
  4. For further information contact: