A price is being paid for politicians’ failings, Baume tells delegates

FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume: "a price is now being paid by our members".

A total of 160 senior public servant delegates attended the FDA's annual conference in central London on Thursday 19 May. Key speeches by FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude - together with debates on issues including civil service pensions, pay and staffing cuts - made up the day's business. An emergency motion calling for strike action with some other unions on 30 June was not passed.

Baume told the packed hall that "Britain has been let down by our entire political class" and that "a price is now being paid by our members".

He outlined the impact of the pay freeze, which also freezes pensionable pay, on a "representative" member of the union. It was, Baume said, "equivalent to a pay cut of more than 18% over two years. So members have a real and perceived sense of what they are losing, and will continue to lose, over the coming few years."

On public sector pensions, Baume said the FDA had launched a legal challenge of the Government's decision to change the pensions uprating mechanism from the retail prices index (RPI) to the consumer prices index (CPI) - a switch that "will slash pension provision post-retirement by up to 25%".

He went on to call for unity among public sector unions. "We will achieve the best possible deal on pensions working in concert through the TUC, with the vast majority of public sector unions - including Unison, GMB and Unite."

"The Government can impose change. But ministers know they will pay a heavy price if they do. Those affected would include everyone from the Jobcentre Plus Worker in Rotherham to a High Court judge in the Strand."

Addressing delegates, Maude acknowledged that "this is a difficult time", but that the Government was "very serious" about engaging constructively with the unions over pensions.

He also set out his vision for the civil service of the future: a smaller, pacier, flatter organisation with "more rigorous performance management" and common technology platforms.

He received praise from delegates for the Government's decision to cut the use of external consultants, but was told by FDA President David Watts that, "Our members are feeling anxious, angry and let down by the government."

Earlier in the day, Dave Penman, the union's head of operations, gave delegates an overview of the key public sector pensions issues.

Jonathan Baume's ADC 2011 speech

The summer issue of Public Service Magazine will include a more detailed conference report.

Above: Delegates listen to FDA head of operations, Dave Penman, outlining key pensions issues.

Below: Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude.