Displaying items by tag: civil servants

Whether you're waiting for a hip operation, a new passport, wondering what you're going to do with your children when their teachers are on the picket line, or are a university lecturer worried about losing pay when you protest, walkouts aren't anywhere close to coming to an end. The nurses’ union leader told her members a 5% pay rise and a one-off payment of at least £1,655 was worth accepting. But they disagreed. So strikes continue, with staff being withdrawn from emergency departments for the first time. Junior doctors are set for further industrial action and could end up on strike at the same time as nurses in England. Civil servants are likely to walk out too, having missed out on a one-off payment for 2022/3, which other workers had been granted. Dave Penman, leader of the FDA civil service union, warns the consequence will be a ‘prolonged and damaging dispute’.

Ministers have been ordered to send their civil servants back to the office after it emerged that up to three-quarters of staff are still working from home. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the minister for government efficiency, has written to all secretaries of state saying they must send a ‘clear message’ to officials to end the work from home culture and ensure that taxpayer-funded offices are at ‘full capacity’. He wrote, ‘Now that we are learning to live with Covid and have lifted legal restrictions in England, we must continue to accelerate the return of civil servants to office buildings to realise the benefits of face-to face, collaborative working and the wider benefits for the economy. Whitehall sources accused civil servants who refuse to return to the office of failing to ‘pull their weight’. Efforts to get civil servants back to the office have been hampered by unions pushing for further concessions on flexible working.

From Passion for the Nation: ‘As the process of choosing a new prime minister continues, we can pray that every significant seat of power in our capital city will be filled by those appointed by God, establishing heaven’s purposes and shifting this nation towards its God-given destiny. Pray that the new Prime Minister will be supported by ministers, advisors, and civil service personnel who carry Kingdom purposes and plans; and we declare God’s wisdom will both guide them and protect them from every strategy of the enemy. Pray according to Proverbs 22:29 (TPT): ‘If you are uniquely gifted in your work, you will rise and be promoted’. We decree and declare that select committees, sub-committees, ministerial and civil service posts will be filled by those skilled, gifted, wise and on whom God’s favour rests. We speak strength, honour and encouragement to them in the Name of Jesus.’ For the full declaration click the ‘More’ button.

Stressed civil servants are encouraged to talk to counsellors about the pressures they are under. Some believe that quite a few MPs may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as they cope with coffins dumped at their constituency surgeries, smashed windows, death threats, round-the-clock negative social media, and endless cancelled plans, putting their relationships and health under huge strain. Brexit anxiety is having a detrimental effect on people's mental health. See and