FDA to ballot members over civil service pension proposals: senior officials to strike for first time in over two decades - 22 F

More than 10,000 senior managers and professionals in the civil service are to be balloted for industrial action over changes to the civil service pension scheme, the FDA announced today.

The FDA said that its first strike since 1984 would coincide with that of other public sector unions on 23 March 2005.

Announcing the ballot, Jonathan Baume, general secretary of the FDA, said:

"We recognise that the welcome rise in life expectancy requires a serious public policy debate about the sustainability of pension schemes. However, consequent changes should be the result of dialogue and debate, not a Government diktat simply announcing that it is raising our members' pension age from 60 to 65.

"The Cabinet Office also intends to close the existing final salary scheme to members from 2013. It will be replaced with a career average scheme. We believe our members should have a choice of pension scheme and not be coerced into one which will disadvantage many high performing civil servants.

"Members joined the civil service with a clear understanding of their pension entitlements, which they pay for through monthly contributions and by accepting lower salaries. The Government is in danger of tearing up the moral contract with senior managers at the very time that they are expected to lead the Government's ambitious programme of public sector reform.

"We are not seeking to bring the Government to its knees. The ballot, for action in the morning until noon, balances a genuine sense of grievance felt by our members with their responsibilities to ministers and the public.

"The FDA continues to favour negotiation but so far this has not been on offer. This has been a very difficult decision to take. Our aim is to demonstrate that FDA members are seriously concerned about these proposed changes and seek genuine negotiations and choice. Between now and the 23 March we will be exploring every avenue for negotiation to address these issues."

Notes for Editors
1. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing the UK's 13,000 senior civil and public servants. Our members include policy advisors, senior managers, tax inspectors, economists, statisticians, accountants, special advisers, government lawyers, diplomats, crown prosecutors and NHS managers.

2. The FDA should be referred to simply as "The FDA". Please do not use First Division Association. The best description of the FDA is " the union representing senior civil and public servants".

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