Defence professionals start industrial action

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Defence professionals start industrial action

Key specialist staff within the Ministry of Defence have begun a campaign of on-going industrial action short of a strike to highlight their continuing frustration over pay and grading.



The action follows a ballot of Prospect members, among the 10,000 specialist staff within the MOD. The vote in favour of a departmental work-to-rule was supported overwhemingly by 72% of the members who took part in the ballot.

It follows a one-day strike in February over a two-year pay deal imposed that month. But the union is quick to stress that the latest campaign reflects its determination to ensure specialist pay is at the heart of any future negotiations with MOD.

Prospect National Secretary Steve Jary said: "This action is not protest action. It is to pressure the department into taking on board our specialist pay agenda. It is about looking afresh at the pay and grading structure and the pay system itself.

"Above all, it is about getting MOD to recognise that it cannot keep ignoring the views of its staff by imposing below inflation pay rises and hope to keep them motivated. If ministers don’t watch out, professionals will vote with their feet and walk out on MOD for good, doing lasting damage to the operational capacity of Britain’s armed forces."

The union argues that its members’ skills would command higher salaries in the private sector yet their loyalty to a public service is cynically exploited by the government.

The precise action undertaken will vary according individuals but broadly covers: strict adherence to job descriptions and conditioned hours; boycotting ‘voluntary’ acivities such as completing surveys and attending briefings; and a refusal to deputise, substitute or otherwise cover the work of colleagues or vacant posts.

Prospect represents all specialist staff in MOD including engineers of all disciplines, scientists, logistics support, trainers, librarians, information officers, stores officers and telecommunications staff.