Members of PCS union are taking strike action across government departments in January, including National Highways, Rural Payments Agency, DVLA and DVSA. Dave Warren, retired DVLA worker, reports from Swansea.
Socialist Party members joined around a dozen cold but determined pickets at 6am on Monday 9 January outside the DVLA premises in Swansea. PCS members who process medical driving licence applications are on strike all week as part of the union’s campaign of targeted industrial action. A local radio reporter who turned up to interview the pickets got a blunt reply when he asked whether the pay claim of 10% was realistic. “Of course it is”, said one. “It’s the government’s insulting offer of 2% that’s unrealistic. We have to live. We’ve got bills to pay.”
Come to PCS Broad Left Network conference
Katrine Williams
The PCS Broad Left Network (BLN) is holding its 2023 conference on Saturday 14 January on Zoom. The BLN is the socialist rank-and-file group in the union, which Socialist Party members support.
The conference will discuss all the key issues facing PCS members – most importantly determining a strategy to win the national campaign on pay and jobs. At a time when other unions are taking national all-member action, our union leadership’s hesitation to call national action stands in stark contrast. This has to change – a major escalation of action is needed to win.
The conference will also agree the BLN programme and slate for the union’s 2023 President and National Executive elections.
- The conference is on Zoom on Saturday 14 January, 11am to 4pm
- Meeting ID: 851 9331 3513
- Passcode: 672871
- The conference is open to all PCS members, BLN supporters, and those interested in finding out more about the BLN
