⁦Fiona Eadie⁩ opening up the event explaining the development and growth of ⁦⁦⁦Women into Leadership⁩ over 15 years and the focus of ⁦FDA union⁩ on career development and learning for our members

⁦Women into Leadership⁩ is about to start here in Edinburgh with a line of excellent speakers ⁦FDA union⁩ ⁦Fiona Eadie⁩

So glad to see that common sense has taken hold!

Disappointingly, there hasn’t been further work done on third party reporting. E.g. allowing trade unions to initiate complaints where there are multiple complaints about one individual but those directly affected may be reluctant to complain but are willing to act as a witness.

While FDA General Secretary Dave Penman tells me

“You have to wonder why Esther McVey feels so threatened by a rainbow lanyard that it deserves so much of her time, when public services are on their knees and government departments are cutting back services”

Dave Penman

Response from the FDA Union…

Assistant General Sec. Lucille Thirlby:
 
“Nobody joins the civil service in order to ‘impose their own political ideology’.. when the country is facing challenges, should the colour of a civil servant’s lanyard really be a ministerial priority?”

Yet again, the Government is attacking the equality, diversity and inclusion spend in the Civil Service - a convenient punch-bag for when it wants to demonstrate that it’s taking a tough stance, when in reality these changes could actually lead to damage inews.co.uk/news/common-se…

Fantastic to be a part of the Global Government Forum webinar on how to eliminate the gender pay gap - at the current rate of decrease it will take til 2044 to eliminate it - we can and must do better than that

#EMiL is off to a great start being chaired by Pru Orridge - she has started us off with her own journey into the CS and included her proud involvement and opportunities ⁦FDA union⁩ has given her along that journey

Such a pleasure to have the opportunity to chair the online #unlockingthescs today. We have started our day off with an inspiring recording of Tamara Finklestein. ‘Even when you make it to the executive management board you still have development needs’ very wise words

Nothing screams confidence in its own legal position more for Govt than having to declare in advance that it will ignore court rulings & specifically instruct civil servants to ignore their professional obligations to ‘comply with the law and uphold the administration of justice’

Great to take part in Civil Service World and DodsTraining event on building a resilient civil service. There are a number of factors impacting on resilience, highest turnover in a decade, a broken pay system, work load and intensity. We exchanged our ideas and have solutions for the CS

FDA Vice President Leila Kelly opens Women into Leadership - our joint event with Dods Events Diversity & Inclusion - in Manchester today.

To find out more, including upcoming events near you or online, visit womenintoleadership.co.uk #WiL23

Complaining about the growth of the civil service from its lowest level in 2016 to 2023 shows no consideration for the actual effects of EU referendum and the covid pandemic and the vast array of Government priorities. CS once again being attacked for doing their jobs.

Loved being back delivering a session on managing difficult conversations at #WiL23 for FDA union and as ever great contributions in the q&a’s from women civil servants!

Well done to our FDA union Comms team, for being commended in Trades Union Congress union Comms awards for best media story - where we utilised our member survey results to get their views presented to the Deputy PM live on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg show.

So proud to be marching at Pride in London with a wonderful group of FDA members

Our decision to ballot for national industrial action over pay was intended to send a clear message that enough was enough. This invitation to talks is the first indication this message has been heard.

My statement on the govt’s offer of further talks on our dispute⬇️

Wait, what? Over 4000 pieces of legislation being examined and determined on by an impossible deadline is being derailed simply because one civil servant is off sick? That’s the line you’re running now?

“It seems our fears were well founded”, @fdaallan tells BBC Radio Ulster following the NI budget statement from Chris Heaton-Harris MP.

Sampson says people in Northern Ireland “have a right to expect” democratically elected politicians to be the ones making tough political decisions.