The government will consult on plans to end public funding for civil service trade union representatives, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude announced at the Conservative Party Conference earlier this week.

Maude’s announcement matches one by Eric Pickles, announcing an end to the public funding of union officials across the wider public sector.

Speaking exclusively to CSW after his speech, Maude explained his plans to abolish ‘facility time’: the practice of departments paying the salaries of full- and part-time union representatives. “At a time when money is very tight, I think there’s going to be a real concern about whether we should be spending the £25m or £30m that this costs the civil service – effectively subsidising trade union activity – or whether it should be used for frontline public services,” he said.

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Last updated 232 days ago by Civil Service World