CIVIL SERVICE union PCS conference takes place from 5 June, with the
Left Unity-led national executive (NEC) having increased its majority for
the fourth year running. This is an endorsement of the campaigning and
organising work that PCS has carried out and in particular of the public
sector pensions deal struck last year.
Mark Baker, PCS NEC, personal capacity
Scottish Socialist Party and CWI member Janice Godrich increased her
majority to over 10,000 votes in re-winning the president’s position. The
two right-wing groups, who had six seats between them, have been reduced
to just one place on the NEC. Every Left Unity member who stood was
successful and there are now ten Socialist Party members elected.
This result is largely endorsed by the conference agenda. Those tiny
left groups who have criticised the pensions deal as a "sell-out" have
not been able to sell this idea to members.
Even motions that are critical of aspects of the pensions deal
acknowledge that retaining the right for all existing staff to receive
their full pension at 60 was a significant concession won by the union as
a result of the threat of industrial action. The deal for new entrants is
likely to be known shortly after conference when it will be put to a
ballot.
The government’s job cuts agenda is also likely to feature very highly
in conference debates with members taking action in a number of areas. In
the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in particular, the pressure of
the cuts is beginning to bite and members look set to continue with their
campaign of industrial action. The demands put forward by the left-led
DWP Group are now gaining an echo in other parts of the union.
Members in the Government Offices for the Regions (GO) are also
entering into an indicative ballot which may result in the first-ever GO
strike.
An indicative ballot is also underway in the MOD and members in the
Learning and Skills Council have already taken their first-ever action
too. 2,000 members in the Office for National Statistics are being
balloted for strike action over job cuts and relocations.
Achievement
Despite cuts having taken place and jobs having been lost we have
avoided any compulsory redundancies – an achievement when you consider
other recent examples of job losses and closures, particularly in
private-sector industries. Also, against this background, PCS membership
has continued to increase where other unions continue to decline.
This is as a result of a leadership that is prepared to fight for
members’ jobs, terms and conditions.
Our national pay campaign is also now to be stepped up. With over 200
different negotiations across the union going on and regular government
reorganisations, the case for national pay has been won in most
activists’ eyes.
However, many members still need convincing, as anyone who has joined
the service in the last ten years will not have experienced the benefits
of national pay. Coupled with this is a fight against regional pay. The
government are keen on this as it helps their so-called "efficiency"
agenda by making it easier to move jobs to lower-paying areas and even
off shore, delivering the services we provide from call centres rather
than face-to-face.
PCS has truly been transformed from a tame servicing union, which was
the hallmark of unions during the 1990s ‘social partnership with the
employers’ era, to a bold campaigning union.
This is also reflected by our growth in young activists and women who
now make up 40% of our union reps. These figures are envied by other
unions but if they make the break with the servicing of the past to the
campaigning of the future, they too can emulate our achievements.
