Last week, we had the opportunity to celebrate 100 years of the FDA with an event at the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood. We welcomed ministers, parliamentarians, trade unionists, civil servants and FDA reps past and present to look back on the union’s proud history of supporting members in Scotland.
FDA President Fiona Eadie and General Secretary Dave Penman were joined by Kezia Dugdale MSP (pictured above), Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy Kate Forbes, STUC General Secretary Grahame Smith, and former Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government Sir John Elvidge in paying tribute to the members, activists and staff who have all played their part in making the FDA the successful trade union it is today.
All speakers commended the union’s work to defend civil servants in Scotland – from the formation of the Procurators Fiscal Society in 1930, to representing members in Scottish Parliament following the devolution referendum in 1997, to the publishing of the Scottish version of the Civil Service Code in 2006 – and stressed the importance of preserving the civil service values of impartiality, integrity and professionalism for the next 100 years. Our next event will take place in Wales, at the Senedd on 3 July, with a further celebration taking place in Northern Ireland later this year.
While these changes begin to address challenges identified by our members in the CPS, the union continues its call for increased CPS funding, in order to help tackle these crimes long-term.
The FDA sign formal recognition agreement for special advisers with Satvir Kaur MP, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office
In response to announcements on civil service pay, the FDA welcome progression for Senior Civil Servants, but introducing progression for other grades remains ‘top pay priority’ after ‘lack of meaningful change for two decades’.
