FDA reaches agreement on revised Civil Service Compensation Scheme terms

The FDA and four other civil service unions - GMB, the Prison Officers' Association, Prospect and UNITE - have reached an agreement with the Cabinet Office on revisions to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, which governs the amount of money paid to staff who are made redundant or who volunteer for severance/ early retirement. The agreement was reached after 18 months of intense negotiations and the terms agreed represent a significant improvement on those rejected by all the unions in early December.

The FDA Executive Committee - at its meeting on 3 February - unanimously endorsed the agreement, recognising that the alternative was the imposition by the Government of significantly worse terms.

Comprehensive briefing explaining the background to the changes and how the revised Scheme will operate will be issued to members shortly.

Jonathan Baume, FDA general secretary, said: "The new redundancy terms represent a package that is balanced and, overall, fair to our members.

"We did not seek changes to the existing terms. These negotiations have not been easy, and came close to breakdown on several occasions. However, the FDA and the four other unions have been willing to engage, and Tessa Jowell, civil service minister, has taken a constructive approach throughout which finally enabled a deal to be reached."

For more information, please go to the pensions area of the FDA website.