FDA in the news

“The report will not have been easy reading for HMRC and does not shy away from the difficult issues... We are keen to engage with HMRC to assist with the improvements and recommendations contained within it," says Paula Houghton, President of ARC.

"The danger of this piecemeal approach is that it just creates further anomalies, and breeds resentment from groups of staff who do not benefit from the targeting of pay supplements," says FDA Assistant General Secretary Lucille Thirlby.

“For years, civil servants have suffered from real term pay cuts. Now improvements to their pension benefits aren’t being realised. This is just adding insult to injury," says FDA Assistant General Secretary Lucille Thirlby.

FDA General Secretary rebuffs attack on the Prime Minister's Europe Adviser, Olly Robbins.

The FDA's campaigning has secured paid overtime for GLD staff.

In his latest Civil Service World column, General Secretary Dave Penman reviews John Manzoni and Sir Mark Sedwill's appearance before PACAC.

“Civil service pay has remained largely unreformed for 25 years. Staff turnover is only one of many problems that need addressing. A series of sticking plasters will only repeat the mistakes of the past,” says FDA General Secretary Dave Penman.

Unions welcomed the “co-ordination of resources” but said ministers needed to realise that capacity in other areas would be extremely stretched.

"The melodrama cannot distract from the allegations yet to be resolved... Mr Salmond’s statement on the steps of that court does not make for a final act," says FDA General Secretary Dave Penman.

Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans was defended by Dave Penman, General Secretary of the FDA.

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA trade union which represents senior civil servants, claimed Salmond had "continually targeted" the Scottish Government Permanent Secretary.

“What has been disappointing,” says FDA General Secretary Dave Penman, “is the way Alex Salmond has continually targeted Leslie Evans from day one on this case. He has almost portrayed this as a personal vendetta.”

Civil service union the FDA called for the case to be reopened. General secretary Dave Penman insisted the fall of the case was down to a “flaw” in the way it was conducted.

“Subject to the wishes of the complainants, we would call on the Scottish Government to re-investigate the complaints at the most appropriate time” says FDA General Secretary Dave Penman.

"Unless the Government changes what it does, or does less, changing the nameplate on the front door of a department is no panacea to delivering efficiencies" says FDA General Secretary Dave Penman.

“The split nature of this pay policy sends a message that the Scottish Government doesn’t truly value the vital work carried out by our members in Scotland,” says FDA National Officer Allan Sampson.

"Despite everything that’s been thrown at the civil service over the last few years, the data shows the public inherently trust it as a profession," says FDA General Secretary Dave Penman.

FDA Amy Leversidge repeats the FDA's call for a fully independent complaints process.

The FDA union’s just-published 2018 Working Hours Survey found more than two-thirds of respondents reporting their departments’ effectiveness was “negatively impacted” by its workload and additional working hours.

A survey by the FDA union found more than 80% of top civil servants are having to put in extra unpaid hours – just to get their work finished.