DWP strike vote fails to meet threshold

DWP workers said yes to strikes, but missed the turnout threshold (Pic HelenCobain on Flickr)

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) workers were disappointed on Tuesday to learn that action over pay would not be going ahead.

The PCS union members voted 85 percent for strikes. But the turnout fell below the 50 percent demanded by the anti-trade union laws. The union did not clarify what the turnout was, but a consultative ballot last October did produce a turnout of 52.3 percent.

Kate, a branch rep in the south east of England told Socialist Worker, “We found it a real struggle” to get members to commit to sending their ballot in.

“This wasn’t for lack of trying. We had weekly meetings, reps were contacting members every week, chatting to them at every opportunity”, she said. 

Kate said the low turnout was “because of a lack of demands” from the national union.

“And the lack of action on other things—like working from home—dissuaded people. The campaign just lacked direction.”

A motion passed at PCS conference in May 2024 demanded action over a poor pay deal. 

“The union’s national executive committee argued against the motion, but it was carried narrowly—the floor was more left wing than the conference.”

The pay deal accepted last year leaves 26,000 workers in the DWP on Universal Credit.

Kate explained that she has only just come off Universal Credit herself, and that was only because she took partial retirement, giving her a lump sum pension payment. 

She said, “I’ve been on Universal Credit for decades. I was working full time and have no children—but I’m not paid enough to cover the rent.

“It’s been eight months since the pay award was put in place in July and we’ll be going into fresh negotiations in a few months.

“The slowness of action and the lack of a pay demand just made people think ‘what’s the point? We’ll get something out of the next negotiations.’”

Kate explained that without the threat of strikes to back them up, union negotiators are “going into the negotiations with their hands behind their back.

“I’ve always said that if you successfully vote for action, even if nothing happens, you go into negotiations with your fists held high. But now, I don’t think they’ll have an appetite to fight.”

She added, “the fact that there’s not a huge amount of industrial action nationally might have affected things. 

“Last time we went out in 2022-23 everyone was out, there were all these announcements of successful ballots and pickets, it gave people more confidence.”