Mike Wood said taxpayers’ money should not be wasted on the latest Public And Commercial Services Union demands as PCS set 20 October for a strike ballot over a four-day week, more annual leave, stronger home-working protection, a right to switch off and a 10 per cent pay rise. The ballot must clear a turnout threshold and win majority support before any industrial action can follow.
The union’s vote comes after its first ballot on the four-day-week issue in November 2022. Since November, strikes have been held across DWP, Border Force and HMRC, giving the new ballot a direct link to earlier action rather than a fresh stand-alone dispute.
Mike Wood and Labour Ministers
Wood, the shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, said, “Taxpayers’ money should not be wasted on this.” He also said, “Labour Ministers must make clear that they do not support a four-day week on full pay for civil servants and stand firm against any strike action.”
His intervention puts the dispute squarely into the political argument over who should carry the cost if the ballot leads to walkouts. PCS is pressing ahead with the vote while Wood is urging Labour Ministers to rule out the demand before members cast their ballots.
Cabinet Office response
A Cabinet Office spokesman said, “The Government is committed to recognising the hard work of civil servants, while ensuring public sector pay remains sustainable.” The spokesman also said, “Discussions will continue with Civil Service unions, including PCS, as part of departments’ ongoing engagement.”
That leaves the ballot as the next practical test. At least half of PCS members must vote, and a majority must back industrial action, if the union is to move from demands to strike action.
PCS ballot threshold
For members, the immediate issue is not the list of demands alone but the arithmetic around the vote. PCS needs both turnout and a yes majority, which means the result depends on how many members take part on 20 October.
The ballot ties pay, hours and working practices into one dispute. If members back it, the union will have a mandate to move from negotiation to action across the Civil Service.
