Socialist Party members in PCS HMRC group
The PCS Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Group elections saw a substantial victory for the Alliance for Change (AfC) slate, which includes six Broad Left Network (BLN) members, four of whom are Socialist Party members. Every person put forward to the Group Executive Committee (GEC) on the AfC slate was elected.
This reinforces the victory of the slate in the GEC elections last year, following disillusion with the previous ‘Left Unity’ leadership that failed to fight.
Since then, the HMRC GEC has taken an approach of listening to, working with and supporting branches. Reps have seen a positive difference and campaigned for AfC in the elections.
It’s also clear that Left Unity members in HMRC who were elected to the incoming National Executive Committee (NEC) aren’t supported by PCS members in HMRC. It will be crucial that PCS HMRC branches hold those NEC members to account.
In the Group conference on 19 May, the GEC put forward a number of important motions, including two papers that set out a different vision for the group and for HMRC, based on direct feedback from members and reps via a survey. Both papers were carried without disagreement.
There have been some healthy debates this year. It’s clear that it is the AfC grouping, including BLN members, that is putting forward campaign strategies to address the biggest issues facing PCS members in HMRC. The weakness of the LU opposition was clear during the debate on a censure motion put forward by LU supporters, attempting to take pot-shots at the GEC. Conference overwhelmingly rejected this.
Socialist Party and BLN members will keep fighting for an HMRC Group with a fighting programme to stand up for our members, on key issues such as pay, office attendence and working conditions.
