PCS strikers at The Pensions Regulator remain determined

Entering their thirty-first day of strike action today (6), members at The Pensions Regulator are determined to fight until the employer improves its offer.

PCS members working for The Pensions Regulator (TPR) are currently on strike after being offered just a 3% pay rise. Members are also furious as the employer last week imposed an insulting and unagreed pay offer on November’s payday.

The more than 300 PCS members working for TPR are on strike again this week and next on 6, 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14 December.   

This comes after 11 days of action in October and 9 days in November, building on the 10 days of strike action taken between 5 and 18 September in pursuit of our national campaign demands.   

The branch - which has increased PCS membership by 135% since these actions began in September – is determined to keep the pressure up on TPR.  

“I'm still striking because I don't earn anywhere near the national average wage,” one member said. “I'm striking because my mortgage is up for renewal next spring and the worry of whether I can even get one is keeping me awake at night. 

“I'm striking because I've not had a pay rise for five years now and enough is enough,” they continued.  

TPR is only offering a pay rise of 3% while other civil service employers are paying a minimum of 4.5%, with an additional 0.5% of the overall pay pot to be targeted at the worst-paid staff. 

Government recommendations 

“I am passionate about my work and had not expected the strike to go on for as long as it had,” another member told us.  

“I believe that all staff should be expected to receive an adequate wage and a reasonably uplift in the current economy, in line with the governments recommendation. TPR’s unwillingness to even consider the use of a portion of its bonus pot to this effect is greatly disrespectful to its workforce.” 

PCS recently wrote to the DWP, the parent government department of TPR, to request that it intervenes to help facilitate negotiations to bring an end to the dispute. However, the DWP has refused to intervene.  

In the numerous meetings PCS has had with TPR management, they have doubled down on their original position of not meeting the terms of the civil service pay remit guidance.  

How to show your support for TPR strikers
  • Visit the picket lines on strike days outside Telecom House, 125-135 Preston Road, Brighton BN1 6AF on 6, 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14 December.  
  • Send messages of support to editor@pcs.org.uk   
  • You can also support our striking members by making an online donation to our strike fund.    

Not yet a PCS member? Join online today.