Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members working at The Pensions Regulator (TPR) have begun their latest round of strike action today (10 January).

According to PCS, its TPR employee members were reporting that the ongoing strike action was “creating a backlog of work and systemic disruption” to the regulator’s ability to deliver on its statutory duties.

The strike action on 10 January is PCS members’ 37th day of industrial action at TPR since 5 September 2023, with walkouts planned on a further 11 days between now and 1 February.

PCS said the industrial action was taking place due to its TPR members being offered a pay rise of 3 per cent, while other civil service employers were paying 4.5 per cent.

The union added that its membership at TPR had risen by 163 per cent since the dispute started in September.

The latest phase of strike action comes after members voted in a ballot for more action by a margin of 95.7 per cent across a turnout of 75 per cent.

It added that it felt that negotiations were not exhausted and it was actively looking for a resolution to the dispute.

Commenting on this latest round of action, PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said that TPR aims to “build people’s confidence in pensions” but asked: "How can it build confidence in the wider world when it’s lost the confidence of its own workforce?”

A TPR spokesperson said: "We are disappointed by the announcement of further industrial action.

“What we pay staff is fair and this year our lowest paid workers received a pay rise of 6.25 per cent.

“After months of meetings, we have now exhausted negotiations for last year’s pay and are now looking ahead to next year.”

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