A query on National Pay Agreements

[bobbysands81]

I have a quick question that I'm hoping someone here might be able to answer.

Under previous pay agreements, Civil Servants gave up the right to strike, or to even threaten to strike. When the current pay agreement runs out, and if another one is not renegotiated, are all bets off?

Are rules and regulations made as a result of this or previous pay agreements nulified by the fact that there is no longer a pay agreement in situ?

Basically, would Civil Servants be able to threaten to strike or to actually strike when the current agreement runs out and if it is not replaced?

[Howard Devotee]

National Agreements have included industrial peace clauses, in which the parties (inc. public and private sector trade unions)agree not to engage in industrial action. There were no rules or regulations involved per se. It did not give up the right to strike, as seen from a small number of disputes which have taken place over the last few years. However, for public (and not just civil) servants, the pay increases were dependent on adherence to the industrial peace terms. Some disputes have been resolved when a pay increase has been stopped because of industrial action.

To answer your specific question, once the final phase of Towards 2016 is paid on 1 September, that sanction will no longer be available to public sector employers and unions in the public service may be a little less inhibited in engaging in industrial action. However, it is unlikely that this will lead to a rash of disputes as there are very few people who go on strike just for the hell of it!