"Any government that wants to improve public services needs to invest in its people, skills and technology. A race to the bottom on pensions will do nothing to deliver this." - @fdagensec.bsky.social inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Working from DWP/DHSC Quarry House, Leeds today? Come and say hello and bring along a colleague to meet our Organising team who are keen to discuss the benefits of FDA membership and how we can support them.

For week five of the FDA's Autumn roadshow, the Organising team and reps are at DWP in Kings Court, Sheffield to discuss local issues and the benefits of FDA membership, from support with career development to being your voice in the workplace.

"If this was in an official capacity, why were officials not present? And if it wasn't in an official capacity, then why did he ask departmental resources to be used to promote the trip?" @robertmurtagh1.bsky.social calls on Paul Givan to clarify the use of departmental resources on his Israel trip

“We can never return to a situation where civil service pay is held back behind of the rest of the public sector, as was the case for too many years under the previous government" - @laurencrowley.bsky.social www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

"A civil servant cannot answer back publicly. Holding a civil servant to account is what ministers should do... but that has to be in private." Speaking to @christopherhope.bsky.social, @fdagensec.bsky.social challenges briefings against civil servants who cannot defend themselves publicly.

"Civil servants are delivering public services. You can have less or more of that... but these are the big choices they've got to make." @fdagensec.bsky.social tells @gbnewsonline.bsky.social no matter who is in govt, political choices have consequences when deciding the size of the civil service.

“The longer this question goes unanswered, the greater the risk that the minister's actions will sow seeds of doubt in the public’s mind over the appropriate use of taxpayer-funded civil service resources." - @robertmurtagh1.bsky.social www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/norther...

“This confirms what we’ve long suspected - in govt Reform would adopt an American-style politicisation of the civil service. As we’ve seen with the Trump administration, people are brought in to lead key parts of the state not on ability, but on belief & loyalty”, says @fdagensec.bsky.social

“It is essential the Cabinet Office ensures the transfer from MyCSP to Capita is a success and a reliable, speedy, and accurate service is urgently restored” FDA Assistant General Secretary Adrian Prandle responds to PAC report on civil service pensions www.civilserviceworld.com/news/article...

“FDA members will recognise the picture the Committee have painted in this report. For years we have supported members experiencing unacceptable and extremely poor service levels" The FDA responds to the Public Accounts Committee report the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

"Why would you want to work in that sort of environment where when things go wrong because of bad policy, you get the blame?" @fdagensec.bsky.social tells @kateemccann.bsky.social it's understandable that civil servants were reluctant to work for ministers in the Home Office.

As part of their Autumn Roadshow our organising team and reps from ARC, the FDA in HMRC, are at HMRC's Greater Manchester Hub, Three New Bailey today. They will be in the refreshment hub between 1.30pm and 3.30pm to chat with staff about any local issues.

Improving social mobility in the civil service is not just about getting working class candidates into roles, they need “support once they get here”. FDA's Deri Bevan on improving in-scheme support for civil service apprentices to improve social mobility feweek.co.uk/civil-servic...

Our Organising Team and reps are at 1 Ruskin Square, Croydon, today as part of the FDA’s Autumn Roadshow, speaking to staff in HMRC and the Home Office. Whether you’re already a member or interested in joining, come and say hi and find out more about what FDA membership can do for you.

"It's essential there is a marked improvement in service delivery" FDA Assistant General Secretary Adrian Prandle tells @civilserviceworld.bsky.social that members' interests must get "foremost" consideration during pension scheme administrator transfer. www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

"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/...

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.

"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...

"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...

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

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

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”.

“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

"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.

“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

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...

“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)

Good to see @pjtheeconomist.bsky.social address an issue that successive govt’s have chosen to ignore. Pay in the civil service is uncompetitive across the spectrum of grades, roles and locations. (1/3) www.thetimes.com/business-mon...

“Pay blights so many areas of the civil service….You can talk about AI, digital skills, leadership… but how do you recruit and retain the best people after two decades of pay decline?” @fdagensec.bsky.social speaks to @zoecrowther.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...

"This deal builds on the historic two-year pay deal the FDA negotiated in 2023 and is another step to fixing long-standing issues with Fast Stream pay." www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

This year's Wendy Jones Equality Award went to DHSC rep Chloé François-Oatway for her work advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in the civil service. Read more about this important work in this summer's edition of Public Service Magazine. www.fda.org.uk/news/2025-we...

Hear about the impressive work being done by the winners of the 2025 Group Impact Award, the FDA reps in Dstl, in this summer's issue of Public Service Magazine. www.fda.org.uk/news/group-i...

There should be caution over statistics showing increased sickness rates in the civil service which only cover some departments when overall trends show rates have decreased, @fdagensec.bsky.social tells @kateemccann.bsky.social.