FDA Union

‘Cheap’: Unions slam Tories’ latest pledge to slash civil service headcount Conservative Party brings back failed Boris Johnson-era policy to cut civil service headcount to 2016 levels

"If they want to be taken seriously on civil service reform, they need to say how they’ll govern with thousands of fewer prison officers, border staff, defence staff & tax collectors"

FDA respond to Conservative pledge to cut civil service headcount

civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

Times story with the headline ‘Civil servants warn of “spectacular” Whitehall tech failures’

Our survey of thousands of FDA members is helping us to understand civil servants’ perspectives on this - how they can help support the government’s ambitions regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector.

Look out for our findings and recommendations soon.

Our National Officer Robert Eagleton writes for @civilserviceworld.bsky.social on why the real challenge for the Fast Stream lies in retention, rather than recruitment.

The Fast Stream’s record interest is worth celebrating – but the real challenge lies in retention Low pay and structural uncertainty mean too many talented individuals leave early, undermining the programme’s purpose

"Ultimately, the Fast Stream doesn’t struggle with getting people through the door – the challenge is keeping them"

FDA National Officer for the Fast Stream Robert Eagleton writes for @civilserviceworld.bsky.social about record Fast Stream applications.
www.civilserviceworld.com/news/article...

Ministers need to ‘get a strategy’ on civil service pay and pensions, says union chief More flexibility for public-sector workers could offset significant recruitment and retention issues, FDA general secretary tells Labour Party conf...

"We haven’t got a strategy from government thinking about either what are those big pay-and-reward issues across the public sector, and what are we going to do about it?” - @fdagensec.bsky.social

Civil Service World report on recent FDA/IfG panel event.
www.civilserviceworld.com/news/article...

Unlocking the Senior Civil Service offers practical help and expert guidance to those wishing to develop into the SCS.

The conference will be held on Thursday 9 October in London - secure your place today: www.dodsdiversity.com/upcoming-eve...

The second Meet the Union session of the day is underway at Base Camp, with our reps here to answer any questions you have about FDA membership.

If you couldn’t make one of today’s sessions, we will be holding more online over the next few weeks.

We are holding Meet the Union sessions at Base Camp today - come along to hear our reps give their firsthand experiences of FDA membership and the opportunities that come with it.

If you missed this morning’s session, join us this afternoon at 2:15pm for the next one.

Our Fast Stream reps are at Base Camp in Birmingham today -
come say hi and find out what the FDA can do for you, from career development to better pay and conditions, and plenty more.

The FDA is the only recognised union for Fast Streamers, join today: fda.org.uk/fda-and-the-...

General Secretary of @naht.org.uk Paul Whiteman says that any changes to public sector pensions need to be done collaboratively, ensuring they are not just about plugging a short-term issue and do not create issues for public sector workers in later life. #Lab25

The public sector is blighted by pay issues, says @fdagensec.bsky.social

To address this and make progress with any potential reforms there needs to be strong political will and clear leadership from ministers. But there is no sense of what this government want to achieve. #lab25

The current balance of pay and pensions is economically inefficient, says @timleunig.bsky.social, as it incentivises people to retire earlier. He continues that civil service pensions “are not generous”. You have to think of the package as a whole - you cannot look at pensions in isolation. #Lab25

If you are looking to rebalance pay and pensions, says @fdagensec.bsky.social, the first thing you need to do is build trust with the workforce that this is about flexibility and not about reducing the overall remuneration package #Lab25

IfG Chief Economist @gemmatetlow.bsky.social outlines that currently pension contributions make up around 20% of the total public sector remuneration package, compared to 8% in the private sector. Is this the most effective balance and does there need to be flexibility? #Lab25

The panel at the FDA and IfG event at the 2025 Labour conference

Our joint event with @instituteforgovernment.org.uk discussing “Should public sector pay and pensions be reformed?” is underway in Liverpool. #Lab25

An image ad for an IfG event

Should public sector pay and pensions be reformed?

Join us at #Lab25 at 15:45 to hear from @timleunig.bsky.social @fdagensec.bsky.social @fdaunion.bsky.social @gemmatetlow.bsky.social, Paul Whiteman and @drbenpaxton.bsky.social - Clyde Room, ACC www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-la...

#LAB25 | Should public sector pay and pensions be reformed?

With Dave Penman @fdaunion.bsky.social @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @drbenpaxton.bsky.social

More speakers will be announced soon👁️‍🗨️

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-la...

Whilst “feedback from HMI suggests that the technology would require further work to maximise its potential”, FDA HMI members “look forward to embracing new technologies to enhance the quality of inspection and make better use of their time”, FDA’s Matt Newman tells @schoolsweek.bsky.social

“An improved platform of basic rights for workers is good for the economy, and it's obviously good for workers.”

Despite concerns, @fdagensec.bsky.social told @listentotimesradio.bsky.social the Employment Rights Bill “is the biggest change and improvement in employment rights for a generation”.

There must be consequences for poor conduct at Stormont… but MLAs are allowed to mark their own homework It was announced last week that former Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan has been appointed the new Assembly Commissioner for Standards, for approval by the Assembly.

“For a standards regime to have any real meaning, there must be consequences for poor conduct, otherwise public trust in govt will only continue to erode”

Robert Murtagh in @belfasttelegraph.co.uk on the new Assembly Commissioner for Standards appointment

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/comm...

"Civil service departments may talk a good game on diversity, but the gaps on the ground are obvious."

Watch as FDA Vice President Beatriz Brown moves the union's amendment to Composite 6 on neurodiversity rights in the workplace. #TUC25

Watch as FDA Treasurer and delegate John McCullagh moves the FDA's motion on public sector productivity yesterday at TUC Congress 2025

congress.tuc.org.uk/motion-32-pu...

"The more evidence about the chronic risk of climate change that's available, the better that FDA members and many others can carry out their duties across public service."

Catch up from yesterday as FDA President @margarethaig.bsky.social
moved our amendment on Motion 31a #TUC25

FDA Executive Committee member and Treasurer John McCullagh moves our Motion 32 on public sector productivity at TUC Congress 2025

"Successive governments have put great stock in AI... Our members are up for the challenge but... how will we know if those productivity increases have been delivered when there is no agreed productivity measure in the public sector?"

John McCullagh moves Motion 32 on public sector productivity.

FDA President Margaret Haig moves an amendment to a motion on UK resilience at TUC Congress 2025

“Adding information about climate change to the evidence available for policy makers can help facilitate the cross-departmental collaboration.”

FDA President @margarethaig.bsky.social moves our amendment on UK resilience - allowing policy makers & businesses to learn from resilience best practice.

“The Fast Stream has no problem with getting people to apply, but… we
find people leave the scheme prematurely. Some of it is around pay & some is around whether they are confident of getting the roles they want at the end of scheme”, National Officer Robert Eagleton tells @rowenamason.bsky.social

Women into Leadership Awards - Leadership Awards NOMINATIONS DEADLINE: NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN The 2025 Women into Leadership Awards After a hugely successful launch of the inaugural Women into Leadership Awards last year, we are delighted to introduce...

Nominations are open for the 2025 Women into Leadership Awards, which recognise those who go above and beyond to champion diversity and empower women across the civil service.

Find out more and submit nominations using the link below:

leadership-awards.co.uk/women-into-l...

FDA boss calls on ministers to defend Northern Ireland's top civil servant Stormont leadership should “step up to the plate” over Jayne Brady’s £30,000 pay-and-pension-contributions rise, Dave Penman says

“The civil service cannot publicly defend itself, that is the role of elected ministers. Time for them to step up to the plate.”

@FDAGenSec calls on ministers to publicly speak up for officials to stop attacks from undermining the service as a whole.

www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

That’s why we believe a strengthened independent pay review process - for the whole of the service, not just senior ranks - would stand the best chance of resisting the short termism and political intervention that we’ve witnessed for decades. (3/3)

but it's eye popping when looking at senior leadership roles managing billions in budgets and tens of thousands of staff, or for specialist skills. Politicians in successive govts have always baulked at addressing this - focussing on narrow & immediate political imperatives. (2/3)