PCS national ballot on pay and jobs
Dave Semple, PCS branch secretary Wigan (personal capacity)
Socialist Party members in PCS will be campaigning for a massive ‘yes’ vote in the ballot which starts on 26 September.
The Tory anti-union laws require a turnout of at least 50% for a strike ballot to be legal, so it’s vital that all members vote, and vote ‘yes’. A huge ‘yes’ vote will send a message to the Tories that we are serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis impacting on all of us – to defend our jobs, improve our pay and stop the attacks on our pensions.
We need to send a message to Truss, the new Tory leader, that we will resist any attempt to impose regional pay rates – in reality pay cuts – which she announced as part of her leadership campaign.
Truss’s threats
We need to make clear to her that we will fight any new anti-union legislation, which again is a threat made in her leadership campaign. The Tories are divided and weak. They can be beaten with resolute, coordinated union action.
The action being taken on the railways, Royal Mail and the ports has been inspirational. Workers coming together in a coordinated response is now vital. Socialist Party supporters in PCS wanted our ballot to start earlier to capitalise on the mood across the trade union movement, and put us in the strongest position to win on jobs, on pay and on pensions. The ballot has now been called and it is crucial that all members vote ‘yes’.
The ballot includes the demand to defend our jobs. 91,000 job cuts have already been announced, which if left unchallenged will decimate vital local services at a time when they are required the most.
This is on top of existing staff shortages, office closures and intolerable work pressures, all of which will increase the already unacceptable stress levels of hard-working staff, and cause more poverty and hardship for all of us.
Job cuts
Socialist Party members argued tirelessly for opposition to job cuts to be included in the ballot. We are pleased to see that the union leadership has now done so.
Government pay policies have held down our pay for more than a decade. We are at least 20% worse off in real terms already, and with current RPI inflation at over 12%, and the huge increase in energy prices, PCS members face a cost-of-living crisis. This will result in thousands of our members facing severe hardship: the Tory government’s derisory limit of 2-3% on civil service wage increases just doesn’t cut it. We must fight for more.
The union’s 10% pay claim, a minimum hourly rate of at least £15 and a 2% reduction in pension contributions is modest set against the state of the economy, which is certain to get much worse. Coupled with this are attempts to cut our redundancy entitlements in order to sack many of us on the cheap. Our demands need to be met in full.
Political response
It’s clear a Starmer-led New Labour government will not resolve our problems. It’s crucial that the trade union movement unites, and builds on the magnificent show of strength demonstrated by railway and tube workers, communications workers and the ports. Workers in the construction industry and companies such as Amazon have also stood up for themselves. The mood to take on the Tories is growing and paying off.
The cost-of-living and energy price crisis demands an immediate industrial response, but also poses the need for energy, rail, water, mail and telecommunications, as a start, to be taken into public ownership – something already ruled out by Starmer. We need a political party based on the interests of workers, based on socialist ideas. Union leaders should take steps now towards such a party, including standing candidates in the general election, whenever it is called.
We must campaign together with other workers, strike together with other workers, and as a start – vote yes!
- It is a postal ballot. Ballot papers must be posted back by 4 November to ensure they are counted.
- If you are not already a PCS member you need to join!
