Civil service is in crisis, say specialist staff

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Civil service is in crisis, say specialist staff

More than half the Government’s most skilled workers would not recommend a career in the civil service to a relative or friend. That is the disturbing finding of a survey of 5,300 specialists and managers in civil service bodies published by Prospect, the union for professionals.



The survey – an online poll carried out between May and August – blames the low morale of specialists on the unfair and inadequate pay systems operated by the Government in departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

Below-inflation pay rises, poor pay progression, fragmented bargaining units, bottlenecks at the Treasury – all have contributed to a widespread perception that the civil service pay structure is broken and needs fixing, says the Prospect report.

“The chaotic state of civil service pay is doing serious damage to the quality of science and technical advice carried out for Government,” said Dai Hudd, Prospect Deputy General Secretary. “Two thirds of our members say that morale has fallen in the last year.

“This is a bleak and depressing account of what it is like to be a specialist civil servant in 2008. To get these responses from people who are committed experts in fields like veterinary medicine, defence research and environmental science is deeply disturbing.”

The survey, carried out among the union’s 34,000 public service members, reveals that:

· 63% of specialists are more dissatisfied at their workplace than last year· 51% would not recommend a career in the civil service· 74% are angry at the lack of pay progression – the single biggest cause of dissatisfaction· 49% say poor pay and career opportunities have driven them to look for a job outside the civil service· 76% of specialists who receive bonus payments say they are unfairly distributed· 85% are poorly informed about the Professional Skills for Government programme· 77% work longer than their contractual hours, including 85% of managers.

In almost every case, dissatisfaction rose with length of service. Download the full results of the Prospect survey from www.prospect.org.uk/page/14467

As well as 5,361 responses, more than 10,000 written comments on their pay and careers were received from members.

The survey follows a rash of disputes during the 2007-08 pay rounds, involving Prospect members in the Ministry of Defence, Department for Environment, Department for Constitutional Affairs, HM Prison Service, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Valuation Office, Government Offices, Science Museum, British Museum, National Gallery, Museum of London and National Museums Liverpool.

By September 1 this year, fewer than a quarter of civil service bargaining units had settled their 2008 pay review. The Treasury is struggling to impose its 2% pay ceiling in the face of widespread resistance from employing departments and agencies as well as trade union members. In some areas, pay reviews have still not been completed for 2007.

Hudd said: ”Government cannot function without the skills and experience of its specialist staff. Foot and mouth, Buncefield, the 7/7 London bombings, climate change, bird flu, energy security – specialists have an essential role in times of national crisis and in tackling the major challenges facing society.

“But this crisis is of Government’s own making. Ministers and managers must respond, both to maintain professional standards and Government’s ability to operate effectively.”

Prospect is calling on the Treasury and the Cabinet Office to recognise the failings of the present delegated pay system and to reform pay structures in line with the reform agendas already implemented by Government in the NHS and education sectors.

The Prospect pay survey follows a report by Incomes Data Services highlighting the Treasury’s discrimination against the civil service in its handling of pay progression costs. This results in civil service pay awards which are 0.6-0.9% lower than the rest of the public sector.