A personal new year message from the general secretary
Many members are understandably concerned and fearful.
As we enter 2011 members face unprecedented threats. Jobs will be lost across government and the NHS, services delivered in different ways and work restructured. Public servants are subject to ever increasing personal scrutiny and accountability. All members face a pay freeze and pressure to cut many existing employment terms, including future pension arrangements. Moreover, there may be considerable political turbulence before the next General Election.
These problems would have faced us whatever the outcome of the 2010 General Election. Few economists disagree that public expenditure had to be cut, even though there are significant arguments about precise scale and timing.
During the past decade more money than ever before was spent on public services, and the Labour Government created an additional 950,000 new public sector jobs in addition to about six million existing in 1997. However, much of the tax revenue which funded that public service expansion emanated from a Faustian pact which the Labour Government entered into with the banks, reducing regulation to the lightest of touches and encouraging extraordinarily reckless - if temporarily highly profitable - behaviour.
When the bubble inevitably burst, the entire country was left to pick up the pieces, and we now face the most severe cuts since those imposed by the Labour Government in 1976-79.
But we should not lose perspective. The Coalition Government is seeking to cut perhaps 400,000 of those extra 950,000 public sector jobs by 2015. This will be very painful, and put great stress not only on individuals but also organisations as they seek to cope and readjust to reductions in staff and budgets. Managers, in particular, face the stress not only of personal concerns about their own job security and reduced conditions, but also of managing and motivating their staff to continue to deliver high-quality services.
However, most of the services provided by our members will continue and most FDA members who wish to be will still be in a post in 2015.
A significant risk for the civil service stems not so much from the reduction itself in staffing numbers, but rather that the Coalition Government still appears to lack a coherent 'overarching narrative' which, coupled with the desire of Ministers to make changes with alacrity, may result in departments making too many ad-hoc, hasty and ill-considered decisions about organisational and complex policy questions. This can only damage the reputation of the civil service and create further uncertainties for members.
And controversy continues to rage about the latest 'reforms' facing the NHS which, coupled with the financial squeeze, will compound the stresses caused by the constant re-organisations suffered under the last Government.
This will be a testing time for trade unions. There is already noisy posturing from the Planet Zog, as Shadow Chancellor (and ex-union general secretary) Alan Johnson MP memorably described the union twilight zone where fundamentalist political ideology smothers hard-headed analysis of members' interests. There are some people who argue that there are simple solutions to these difficult problems. That if only the union said 'no' then our problems would disappear. They will not. The only solution is to engage with politicians and employers, and negotiate constructively, but with a steel edge.
Throughout my 14 years as General Secretary members have, as a last resort, been balloted for industrial action when negotiations broke down. Those votes have been enough to ultimately deliver agreements, most notably on pensions. Our influence and standing comes from employers knowing that the FDA wants to negotiate to reach agreement to protect members, not simply posture. This is what makes the FDA a considered, strong and effective union, one that is readily listened to and respected.
We will continue to engage through building coalitions with other unions wherever necessary and possible, and also with other organisations representing senior public sector managers and professionals, taking our arguments to employers, politicians, the media and the wider public. What we will not do, despite our relatively small size in comparison, is allow ourselves to be bullied, intimidated or undermined by other unions who choose to use different tactics.
We have a core message: the UK civil service is respected worldwide for its professionalism and impartiality, and has been able to attract the best through being a good employer, offering a fair total reward deal. Civil servants have already paid a price through a pay freeze, changes to the Compensation Scheme and job losses. And similar costs have been incurred by NHS members. We want genuine, meaningful negotiations about change and a fair deal for the future - a deal which is fair for our members whilst being fair to the Exchequer and the UK's taxpayers.
There is an obligation on the Government to provide that 'overarching narrative', and to explain to civil servants and our NHS members what the 'deal' will be by 2015 to motivate, recruit and retain. If the Government gets this wrong, then not only will our members react angrily, but the Government risks damaging the civil service and NHS for years to come.
The FDA, as a small union, has limited resources. We have a dedicated and professional staff, but much of our work is undertaken by members themselves and elected volunteers. The Executive Committee is looking at all of these issues facing members and has already suggested ways in which members can add their voices to those of the FDA as an organisation. In the coming weeks and months the Executive Committee will be asking members and volunteers to play a greater part in all of our work, both within the civil service and NHS, and also in the public sphere.
There is no question that 2010 was both hectic and difficult, and the coming year looks likely to be even more challenging. None the less, without being complacent, I believe that the FDA is well prepared, that members have confidence in the union, and that we can bring to bear all of the experience amongst the staff, around the Executive Committee, and amongst our membership as a whole in protecting - and hopefully enhancing - the interests of civil servants and NHS staff in 2011.
Jonathan Baume
FDA General Secretary
Picked this up off the wires from the FDA Union of senior civil servants & NHS senior managers.
.. I'll find out on monday though. As Belboid said, there are 4 unions involved so not sure what would be happening with any donations (plus GMB, Unite and Unison are huge so I'd kind of hope they could fund it out of their members standing donations, no idea about UCATT though).. I have no experience with trade union actions though so I really don't know how they work.
