Jessica O'ConnorThe Trades Union Congress (TUC) has issued a stark call to the Government, urging ministers to engage meaningfully with unions to address what it describes as a “deepening crisis” in public sector recruitment and retention.
The statement came in response to the Government’s handling of the latest recommendations from the public sector pay review bodies.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Unions want to work with the government to address the recruitment and retention crisis gripping our public services.
“A crisis caused by 14 years of Conservative mismanagement and deliberate underinvestment.”
The TUC called for a collaborative approach, urging ministers to begin constructive talks with unions to reverse the tide of experienced staff leaving key roles in healthcare, education, and other frontline services.
Nowak stressed the need for comprehensive workforce planning across all areas of the public sector.
He further emphasised that without direct dialogue between ministers and unions, the Government would fail to tackle the underlying reasons why so many public servants are walking away from their professions.
He warned: “Ministers need to talk directly to unions to address the root causes behind dedicated and experienced public servants quitting their professions.
“And we need a clear, jointly agreed long-term strategy to improve public sector pay […] alongside other crucial issues such as better working hours, more manageable workloads, and enhanced flexible working options.”
