Friday 20 May 2011

Three things to do - you know you want to

PCS annual delegate conference is over for 2011.

Here are three things fior you to do:

Vote yes in the national stike ballot

Read our new pamphlet on defending the welfare state

Sign up for texts and email alerts from PCS

Unite leader joins PCS delegates for final morning of conference

Len McClusky - recently elected general secreatry of Unite - was given a standing ovation by PCS delegates after praising his hosts for fighting hard against government cuts.

Len McClusky and PCS leader Mark Serrwotka signed a memorandum pledging the unions to work together.

Read the full text of the agreement

Unite has members in the private and public sector - including the civil service - on Britain and in Ireland.

Follow PCS on Twitter

Read conference reports on the PCS website

Thursday 19 May 2011

Pamphlet on a vision for the welfare state to be launched this evening

WHERE: Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR.
WHEN: 5.30pm, Thursday 19 May (today).
 
PCS is launching a pamphlet on the need to defend and strengthen the welfare state.

The 24-page booklet will be unveiled at a public meeting in Brighton next week – during PCS’s conference in the city.

The aim is to arm activists with the information needed to campaign against attacks on benefits – and to put forward ideas for the future of the welfare state.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “It’s the mark of a civilised society to support people when they are in need, whether they are ill, disabled or unemployed. Welfare is there to provide a decent existence.

“Coming from the South Wales valleys and working in a DHSS office I saw the importance of the social security system before my eyes every day.”

Mark is speaking at the launch event with Labour MP John McDonnell, chair of the PCS parliamentary group, and Linda Burnip from Disabled People Against Cuts.

The meeting is open to everybody and is in the Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR, at 5.30pm on Thursday 19 May.

The booklet – called ‘Welfare: an alternative vision’ - will be available to download from Friday 20 May at pcs.org.uk/welfare

Thursday lunchtime

PCS annual delegate conference 2011 in Brighton breaks for lunch.

Afternoon debates will cover pay, environmental issues and organisation, structures and services. Follow @pcs_union on twitter for the latest updates.

You can also join the PCS Union Members Facebook group - even if you are not a PCS member.

Detailed report of Wednesday afternoon at conference

Detailed report of Wednesday morning at conference

Conference information on PCS website

Detailed report on Wednesday afternoon at PCS annual delegate conference 2011

Equality

Sarah Hills of PCS Revenue and Customs West Wales moved motion A22 which said this conference believes that the coalition government has attacked working people by refusing to enact the socio economic duty from the Equality Act 2010.

She said: “This government has sought from its inception to remove any legislation that stands in its way. They think we won’t notice but they’ve forgotten we’ve got unions everywhere and we are watching and we will challenge them.”

Austin Harney of MOJ Public Guardian Office seconded the motion. He said: “We thought with this government we would see the long-term erosion of services for the vulnerable in society, but this is already happening at an accelerating rate.

“This government is discriminating against the most vulnerable in society. These cuts are racist and disability discriminatory, they are homophobic and sexist. Sooner or later we’re going to be talking about strikes against discrimination.

Motion A265 calls for a campaign against the Stricter Benefit Regime (SBR), particularly where it is targeted at disabled people and other minorities.

Andy Lawson of DWP North London branch spoke to the motion. He said: “Cuts affecting everyone everywhere in a joined-up attack on equality in every way shape or form. These attacks will decimate communities up and down the country.

“We must campaign publically to build for biggest possible strike on 30 June against these cuts.”
PCS vice president Sue Bond said on behalf of the national executive that the union must lobby to get the socio-economic clause of the Equality Act 2010 enacted as we face the worst cuts in pub spending since 1934” and make it part of our national campaign towards possible national strike action on 30 June.

Sue Catten of DWP East London moved the motion calling for joint work with other unions, Labour MPs and anti-cuts campaigns to place Equality and Human Rights Commission management under public pressure to take enforcement action against public authorities and make them adhere to statutory equality duties.

“This Tory-led government claims to want a fairer Britain but we are not fooled and recognise that the Institue of Fiscal Studies is a greater truth-teller who announced cuts will put a further 300,000 people into poverty,” she said.

“Thatcher turbo-charged inequality, Labour pulled it back but now we must expect another hyper-rise.
“It is right we unite with our political allies to fight these cuts.”

John Moloney  of DfT London and HQ regions who seconded the motion said the Labour movement should be committed to the fight for a fairer and more egalitarian society.

David Sherman of DVLA Chelmsford said: “David Cameron has a name for the increase in discrimination, he calls this the Big Society. We have had a big society in this country before one which bares very little to what Cameron was talking about.

"When we introduced old age pensions, that was the big society in action, nationalisation of the coal industry,that was the big society in action, when we introduced the National Health Service that was the big society in action.

“Legislation to ensure people could not be discriminated against was the big society in action, all headed by the union movement. Frankly we don’t need the lovechild of Margaret Thatcher and Lord Snooty to lecture us on the Big Society.  We are part of the movement that built and not part of the movement that killed it.”

Fidel Mclean from DWP Lambeth and Southwark said the cuts would create economic and racial apartheid.

“The government’s prejudiced beliefs are becoming more apparent by the day.”

Zita Holbourne NEC proposed the motion which called for facility time for all PCS equality reps to become a statutory right.

“Government attacks on pensions, services and communities have a disproportionate impact on the vulnerable. Cuts are deepening in equality in work and the wider community and have a devastating impact,” she said.

“PCS equalities structures have been at the forefront of many of the union’s campaign. It is essential to carry out this important work that equalities reps have facility time.”

Alex Rutherford of HMRC Quorum branch seconded the motion and said: “People are being sacked for what makes them different. I will not stand back and watch the condemolition of what we have worked for.”

Alex Rutherford of HMRC Quorom branch moved the motion that called for the end of the National Blood Service’s discriminatory policies banning men who have ever had sex with men from making donations.

He said: “This is not a policy for public protection but one that discriminates against a section of the community.

“The National Blood Service should not be stigmatising whole sections of the community on the grounds of public health. It does nothing.”

Ian Crossland of Calderdale and Kirklees branch and a PCS Proud rep said the policy is: “Homophobic and bi-phobic hate crime at its worse.  I take offence on behalf of the millions of healthy men. Many groups promoting safe sex face are under threat by this government.”

John Moloney  of DfT London proposed the motion which called for the Archibald ruling that judged the dismissal of a cleaner Mrs Archibald was unfair because following minor surgery she was unable to do her manual job and that reasonable adjustments are made by employers in such circumstances.

John called for the union to make sure the Archibald ruling is carried out across the whole of the civil service.

Peter Doughty moved the motion which called for Welsh speakers to be recognised as a separate group for equality audit purposes and guaranteed a voice on the main Welsh PCS committee.

He said: “The Welsh language is an ancient Celtic language spoken on these shoes long before English, and is very much a living language. Welsh people are proud of their language as it?s seen as an identity symbol with their nation.”

John Waters of Bridgend/Rhondda/Cynon Taff branch opposed the motion as fundamentally flawed.
Fiona Williams of MoD Birmingham and District branch was against the motion because there were more than 20 different dialects in the Welsh language and she was not sure such a policy would work.

Dominic McFadden opposed the motion on behalf of the national executive, said PCS supported dual language in Wales and that there was no evidence there was an issue. The motion was lost.

Awards

Three members were awarded the honorary distinguished life membership award at the conference. Jim Park of Edinburgh Revenue and Customs as well as Christine Chorlton who said the accolade was “as a socialist and trade unionist, the greatest award I could receive.”

Active in the field of pensions, she worked on the finance committee and founded the women’s group. She told delegates that in the early days of her union membership she was spurred on to become more active after her employer at the time to drop all union activity, which she said only made her keener.

The third winner of the award was the late John Macreadie  – a major figure in trade union development. Formerly the deputy general secretary of the CPSA, forerunner of PCS, he was described by Janice Godrich as having “unshakeable socialist principles and inspired hundreds of activists including myself.”

Motions

While health and safety (H&S) has in recent times been the butt of many jokes in the media, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently facing a massive and daunting challenge to their operations with the threat of a 35% budget cut looming.

Moving motion A551, the HSE branch told delegates that accidents at work cost Britain some £3.7 billion yet London has more traffic wardens than the UK has H&S inspectors. “Protecting workers from death and injury is a moral obligation.”

Alex Parson of the National Archives, seconding the motion, highlighted that this would not be about opposing cuts in any single organisation, but across the entire public service. Instead a withdrawal of the government’s decision to reduce the budget would result in the continuation of funding the right to work in safe environment.

Commercial services members

Following a video shown to conference profiling a range of members from the commercial sector showing how they benefit from union membership, assistant general secretary Chris Baugh moved motion A32 on behalf of the NEC.

There are commercial sector members of PCS across 123 separate contracts, he told delegates, working in catering, office support and security among others. “We have a direct material need to prevent workers being used to drive down conditions for all PCS members. We want to draw up and agree a protocol between groups and branches,” he said.

Seconding was Alistair Maxwell from Glasgow branch, of Siemens. He cited commercial services group successes including the PCS bargaining unit campaign for pay rises and talked about the ongoing challenges of pay freezes following TUPE transfers as well as the issue of the replacement of employees by agency staff.

Fran Heathcote from DWP Northumbria, supporting the motion, said plans to organise workers in the private sector combined with previous victories at the bargaining table and gains in membership – and more to come due to the privatisation programme set out by government – will only see commercial services membership grow.

Vice president John McInally, of the NEC, moved motion A34 and spoke about the “grotesque greed and inequality” displayed by some of the richest companies in the world. “If every worker earned 20% of the bosses’ salaries at [some IT companies], every PCS member would become a millionaire in two years”, he said.

PCS has been embroiled in a dispute with Capita for six months pushing for the living wage rate. John promised to conduct research on companies, publish living wage status reports and find out their AGM dates and send trained activists along.

HP Northern, Yorkshire and Humberside spoke on motion A35: “We don’t want to see members unemployed by having their jobs transferred by offshoring. We could take legal recourse, but how can we if they’re located abroad. This is a major deficiency in TUPE law.

Fujitsu members however asked for the remission of the motion, asking the NEC to reconsider tactics to achieve the motion’s aims. TUPE was not the correct weapon to combat the threat of offshoring, he said.

Communication awards

Best branch newsletter was won by CPS Northern branch because of it’s eye-catching design, useful statistics and health and safety information, among others. Judges also said it was well researched and lots of effort had gone into its production.

The best use of e-communications award went to DWP Edinburgh branch. The judges said its electronic communications was well laid out and contained lots of useful, regularly-updated information on a range of issues, reflecting pertinent issues. Kevin Fallon – who designs and maintains the site – collected the award.

Best photo went to Peter Soult and best article to Eddy Nixon.

Financial report

Chris Baugh presented the financial report. He said “finances form the sinews of war”, and if you think of this in terms of the impending cuts and the associated industrial battles ahead, this adage becomes very relevant.

Despite a decline over the last 12 months in membership, finances compare favourably with other unions. It was more vital than ever, he said, to raise money to alleviate the hardship of members who take industrial action.

We’ll reduce where necessary all areas of union expenditure” he said and the union would “take corrective measures to balance expend and income.”

Finance

Motion A36 was moved by Paul Tillier of Revenues and Customs, Bradford and District who described the motion as “radical, aspirational but cautious in approach.”

Mike Frisby of the Met Police, Central London who seconded the motion said members had approached him personally to say they can’t afford to take time off work to strike. “What do we want? We want people on picket lines. We don’t want go back to passing a bucket round at meetings”, he told delegates.

Jane Aitchison of DWP Leeds branch opposed the motion. “Yes, we’re going to take more strike action on 30 June and beyond but we need to recruit more members”, she said. “I don’t believe increasing subscriptions during a pay freeze would work.”

Charlie McDonald, DWP east London, requested for  remission or opposition to the motion adding that people should pay the same proportion of their salary to subscriptions and that increasing the proposed amount from 06% to 1% of members’ salary was simply too much to ask.

Dee Luxford of Sussex branch stressed that the motion asked for consultation with members about whether they want increase subscriptions. “Passing this motion should mean we go back and ask members how this should be done”, she said. The motion was remitted.

Gerry Lyons of Revenues and Customs, North London, moving motion A37, said many staff in his department earn less than £20,000 a year so striking is a worry – they say they can’t afford it. “We need a permanent fund our members can contribute to all year round. We must use every means at our disposal to oppose cuts and if that means paying for low paid members on strike then this is what we should do.”

Lee Rock of DWP Sheffield seconding the motion added simply: “We have a choice – stand up and fight or sit back and take job losses. This is a fight not of our making. We’ve entered into it.”

There was opposition from Ashley Galliers – “don’t inflict more hardship on members suffering already” – as well as from Dave Vincent of the Ministry of Justice, Manchester: “No-one’s addressed the logistics.

Reps would have to badger members for money. It will drive people away”, he said. The motion was lost.

Motions were passed unless otherwise stated

Conference arrangements and resolutions (in standing orders committee reports)
PCS and equality
PCS at the Equality and Human Rights Commission
PCS in Wales
PCS health and safety advice

Detailed report of Wednesday morning at conference

President's address to conference

PCS national president Janice Godrich opened her speech with details of the government’s planned erosion of public sector services. “The Tory-Lib Dem government had just taken up office when we met this time last year at conference.

“That marked the beginning of a phoney war – in which we saw unprecedented cuts to public services, which have been the subject of a relentless attack,” she said.

Citing statistics to highlight the extent of public sector job cuts she added: “If they get their way, they’ll be hardly anything left of public services. It’s a systematic attack on the welfare state.”

The case that has been built by trade unions against current and planned public spending cuts, she said: “Has exposed myths upon which their programme is based. It’s lies, its lies, it’s lies”.

And the government’s decision to drastically cut public sector spending is in danger of reviving Thatcher’s era where the “needs of the small elite come before workers and their families” Janice told delegates.

The union has accordingly stepped up the pace of the work and the need to join with other organisations to meet the challenge of fighting the cuts.

“Cameron spoke about building a ‘coalition for change’,” she said. “Last year we began building our own ‘coalition for change’ alongside our sister unions.”

Janice had praise for other organisations helping to fight cuts – the direct action campaign group, UK Uncut received a special mention – as well as other unions.

Janice praised the “fantastic role” played by general secretary Mark Serwotka during the last year, highlighting his appearance on BBC television’s Question Time which “inspired millions and ‘trended’ on Twitter worldwide.”

Finally, she paid tribute to reps who helped organise for the TUC ‘March for the alternative’ on 26 March – in which half a million people came out to demonstrate against government cuts – and called for further action, urging delegates to take heed of those involved in the recent uprisings across the Middle East.

She hoped this joint action would be replicated in the planned PCS industrial action on 30 June. “Everybody should have the freedom to live in a decent home and have access to a good job and a good school. That’s what our vote is about.”

Annual report

General secretary Mark Serwotka echoed the need to join with others in fighting the cuts. “It’s absolutely pivotal we work with other unions,” something PCS will endorse on 30 June. “We want to carry on building alliances locally and nationally.”

In his presentation of the annual report, Mark emphasised the crucial timing of the conference. “We meet at perhaps the most important conference this union has ever had and is likely to have.

“The scale of attacks by government on workers and families is breathtaking in scale. What the Tories and Lib Dems are doing is not only brutal but counterproductive.” He asked delegates: “Are we going to let it happen or are we going to stand up and fight like never before?”

In terms of facing the challenges ahead, Mark said: “We’re in good heart as the union has brilliant activists and members who are up to defending their communities.” Promising that the union would show “absolute determination” to protect members from public sector cuts, he praised the work of PCS reps for their “outstanding” work.

“We’re blessed with the best activists anywhere in the trade union movement. “The NEC respects everything you do,” he said.

He promised ongoing support for those members who have already suffered redundancy or pay freezes as a result of the cuts. To show solidarity with these members, Mark announced the decision by the PCS senior management team taken last week to take a pay freeze themselves “in recognition of the pay freeze our members are enduring.”

He highlighted several successes of the year, including challenges to unfair employment policies by central government department members.

He mentioned the Driving Standards Agency victory in their fight against privatisation and the HMRC strike actions over “Draconian” sickness absence policy.

He concluded with a battle cry: “Will we be the generation that looks back and says we lost jobs and services and saw society disintegrate? Or were we part of generation that fought back, that didn’t let Osborne get away with daylight robbery and which was proud to fight?

If we rise to the challenge and remember that we are many and they are few this will be an unforgettable era in our history. If we fail it’ll mark the bleakest period.

“Let’s get to work and defeat this government’s agenda. We’ve got a big job ahead of us”, he told delegates.

Protecting public services and pensions

Moving the NEC’s emergency motion to move to industrial action over jobs, pensions and pay, Mark said: “Think what we could win if we stand together and with other unions. We can win – we need to get maximum turnout and a maximum ‘yes’ vote for 30 June.

"We’re saying to Cameron, Clegg and Osborne: we’re not going away. We’ll fight tooth and nail to fight what we’ve fought for for generations.”

Richard Rooney, Met Police, supported the motion with a personal anecdote: “My son saw the prime minister and asked ‘is that the man who shut my library?’ That’s what kids are thinking. It’s affecting the kids. Politicians don’t care. We care. We’re not giving up.”

Also in support of the motion, Michael Kavanagh  of the Land Registry said: “It’s a naive standpoint to say there’s room for negotiation. Hundreds of members in my office are facing redundancy.

"It’s clear to everyone that government is wedded to the Hutton recommendations and it’ll take more than words to divert them from that course.”

Seconding the motion, Clive Bryant of Worthing HMRC branch  spoke with gusto about the pride he felt on seeing coaches full of members go to London on last March’s ‘March for the alternative.’

“It was a stunning and proud day,” he told delegates. “More than 50% of people in Worthing work for the public sector. We welcome the motion and we welcome the action plan for branches, groups and regions. We must take the message back to the branches.”

Moving motion A2 DfT DVLA Swansea said the scale and nature of the cuts programme, means “to hell with caution, we’ve got to go for it!”

“In March, we took part in the biggest march ever organised by the British trade union movement,” he said.

“The mantra to take forward from that is: ‘we marched together, now we’ve got to strike together.”

He urged delegates to go back to their branches from the conference with confidence to win the vote.

Seconding the motion Revenues and Customs Benton Park View argued: “Cuts are not necessary or inevitable. The government is creating a division between us and them.”

Factors such as “asset stripping our economy” by PFI initiatives and privatisation are exacerbating the problem. This motion shows what needs to be done to get back on track.”

PSg Registers of Scotland moved motion A3. “We’re creating our own ‘Big society’ by joining forces. Together we’re stronger. The livelihoods of all trade unionists are in jeopardy.”

Seconded by Derek Thomson of DWP Glasgow Benefits centre, he told delegates: “The economical argument put forward to justify the cuts makes no sense. This is a fundamental ideological attack on the public sector.  We need to continually put forward a strong and unified agenda against cuts. Let’s agitate!”

John Davison of Revenues and Customs, East Kilbride moved motion A7 by giving a first-hand perspective of a government contact centre worker.

Quoting the recorded message often heard on contact centre lines ‘I’m sorry there’s a fault’ John told delegates: “The fault lies with the appalling way call centre workers are treated by bosses. Despite progress made, he said there is still ‘oppressive monitoring’, high stress, repetitive work and little protection from abusive callers. On average people spend just two years working in the industry.”

Seconded by DWP Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, who congratulated DWP on their recent strike action, he emphasised the need to improve conditions. “Staff turnover, sickness and stress is the highest in
the DWP. No-one wants to be timed to go to the toilet.”

Motion A17, was moved by Alan Dennis  on behalf ofthe NEC. “When the ConDem government came to power, one of their first tasks was to review civil service administration. We were not consulted, despite being stakeholders. Mutualisation represents privatisation.”

He said there had been no consideration by government of alternatives.” A ballot follows next week on the government mutualisation scheme ‘myCSP’.

Rob Bower from MOD Cheadle Hulme seconded the motion. He said industrial action would be the last resort but sometimes there’s no choice when faced with “moronic and ideologically-wrong politicians.”

All motion passed unless stated.

Conference arrangements and resolutions (in standing orders committee reports)

Coastguard climbdown is a 'body blow' for government - Mark Serwotka

PCS press release

Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka has described the apparent climbdown over coastguard cuts as a "body blow" for the government and further evidence of what can be achieved by community campaigning.

Speaking as the union meets in Brighton for its annual conference, and a day after delegates voted to ballot a quarter of a million civil and public servants for a strike over cuts to jobs, pensions and pay, Mark said:

"This is a body blow for the government which is reeling from the force of public outrage at ill-thought out plans to slash the life-saving support that coastguards provide.

"It is not yet clear what any new proposals will include and there are still battles to be won to maintain  vital local services that our members provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We would expect new plans to be subject to proper consultation and negotiation.

"The campaign against these cuts has been inspirational and I am proud of the part our reps and members have played in it. Now is the time to keep up the pressure and show the government we remain united, strong and determined to defeat these cuts."

It's has been reported this morning that some of the closures have been stopped.

PCS in the Department of Transport and related agencies

Coastguard campaign - have we won?

The Times is reporting that the government has backed down on plans to close a swathe of coastguard stations.

Here's Motorboat and Yachting magazine's take on it

The BBC reports that "some" planned closures have been stopped

PCS members in the coastguard service have been running a high profile campaign against the cuts with the support of MPs from all parties.

PCS in the Department of Transport and related agencies

Wednesday 18 May 2011

VIDEO highlights of PCS national delegate conference


PCS ADC 2011: Wednesday 18 May from PCS Union TV on Vimeo.

Vote 'yes' for the alternative - report with downloadable flyer and posters

National strike ballot - vote yes flyer and poster

If you scroll down this page on the PCS website you will find links to a downloadable vote yes flyer and poster.

The connection may be slow because the website has been under cyber attack.

PCS on Twitter

PCS on Facebook - you don't have to be a PCS member to join the Facebook group

Organising in the commercial sector

Delegates to the PCS annual delegate conference in Brightion have been discussing strengthening the union in the private sector.

PCS represents many workers on contracted-out government work.

Follow the latest from the hall on Twitter

Some updates already posted this afternoon:

Delegates support a Commercial sector properly resourced to deal with challenges ahead

Delegates watching a film of young commercial sector PCS reps explaining why they got involved in the union

Details of PCS in the commercial sector

Visit the PCS website

Equality centre stage in Brighton

Delegates to the PCS conference in Brightion are debating equality issues this afternoon

Follow the dsicussion on Twitter

Some of the updates that have been posted so far:

Debate on recognising Welsh speakers as a separate equality groups provoking lively debate

Ban on gay men giving blood is a vile anomaly - Ian Crossland

The government's policies will put 300,000 more children into poverty - DWP east London

Delegates vote in favour of a campaign to reinstate the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010 and improve benefits levels

PCS represents members at the Equality and Human Rights Commision

You can join the Facebook group "PCS union members" even if you are not a PCS member

It's lunch...

The PCS conference in Brighton has broken for lunch until 1.30pm.

Follow this morning's events - including a vote for a national strike balllot - by scrolling down and reading earlier posts on this blog.

See updates on twitter at @pcs_union

Join the Facebook group "PCS union members" - you don't have to be a PCS member to join.

Conference arranagements, resolutions, and reports

Strike ballot motion passed at PCS conference this morning

Moved by national executive
Seconded by Revenue and Customs Worthing branch

Conference condemns the policies of the coalition government which are designed to cut hundreds of thousands of public sector jobs, cut services, attack public sector workers’ pensions, and which have imposed a two year pay freeze.
Conference further condemns the proposed redundancies that have been recently announced in a number of areas and believes they could have been avoided.
Conference notes that the Government has already made it clear that it will implement the Hutton proposals meaning members will pay higher contributions and work longer for a lower pension.
Conference believes that it was not the jobs, pensions or pay of public sector workers which caused the economic crisis and rejects the coalition government’s attempts to scapegoat public services.
Conference welcomes the recommendation of the April NEC for a national ballot for discontinuous strike action and for discontinuous action short of a strike. Conference further welcomes the ongoing talks with the education unions for joint action involving hundreds of thousands of public sector workers.
Conference therefore instructs the incoming NEC to:
·        proceed with a national ballot in defence of jobs, pensions and pay
·        continue to work with other trade unions to co-ordinate the action for maximum impact
Conference therefore urges all members and activists to prioritise mobilising for a ‘yes, yes’ vote.
Vote 'yes' in the ballot

Visit the PCS website

PCS conference: A quarter of a million public servants to ballot for strike

PCS press release

More than a quarter of a million civil and public servants will ballot for a strike over cuts to pensions, jobs and pay, following an overwhelming vote at the Public and Commercial Services union annual conference.
Ballot papers will be issued from next week and the ballot will close mid-June, with the first action possible later that month. The union is working closely with education unions who are also balloting over pensions or have already voted and taken strike action, bringing the total to 750,000 union members.
Delegates speaking in the debate talked about how the coalition government's policies are wreaking havoc on their livelihoods, their families and their communities, and pledged their commitment to campaign against all cuts.
The government's slash and burn approach to tackling the budget deficit will throw hundreds of thousands of public sector workers out of work, impose a pay freeze on those that remain, axe vital public services, and undermine hard-won rights such as pensions and redundancy terms.
The government has already made it clear it will implement Lord Hutton's proposals on public sector pensions, meaning civil and public servants will pay higher contributions and work longer for a lower pension.
The union wants: no detrimental changes to pensions or the civil service redundancy scheme; a strengthening of the Cabinet Office-agreed measures to avoid compulsory redundancies; and an end to the pay freeze and a fair pay rise for all.
The conference agreed to: hold a national ballot in defence of jobs, pensions and pay; and continue to work with other trade unions to co-ordinate action for maximum impact.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Everything we have ever worked for is under threat - but we know there is an alternative and we are committed to fighting for it and, if necessary, striking for it.
"The economic crisis was not caused by our members' jobs, pensions or pay and it is shameful and wrong that the coalition government is attempting to scapegoat them in its bid to slash and burn the welfare state."
• Read our alternative economic strategy
Emergency strike motion that was tabled for conference
Conference reports
Education unions ballot over pensions
It’s time to take sides – join PCS

Vote ‘yes’ for the alternative

Delegates to PCS’s annual conference have decided it’s time to take a stand against the unprecedented attacks on workers by the Conservative-led government.
Members will be asked to vote in a ballot to give the union legal authority to call national industrial action.
Everything we have worked for is under threat:
• Pay is frozen while inflation soars
• People face working longer and paying more for smaller pensions
• No public sector job is safe as services are slashed and organisations merge
• The government has ripped up the redundancy terms in the civil service compensation scheme (CSCS).
PCS is urging members to vote ‘yes’ in the ballot for strike action and action-short-of-a-strike which will start next week.
Four education unions are also planning industrial action over attacks on public sector pensions – after talks between trade union leaders and cabinet ministers came to nothing.
A big yes vote will strengthen the hand of union negotiators in every public sector workplace in the UK.
Hundreds of thousands of working people took to the streets of London on 26 March to demand an alternative economic strategy.
The protesters’ confidence grew as trades unionists glimpsed their collective strength.
It’s time to turn that energy into action.
There is an alternative.
The government could find the money to fund public services and to protect the jobs, pensions and pay of public servants.
What PCS members can do:
• Sign in to the members area of this website and make sure the union has your correct address and contact details
• Check your closest colleagues are in the union – and if not ask them to join
• Take part in workplace and branch meetings – your idea could be the one that wins the dispute
• Support local anti-cuts activities – whichever union is leading them
• Read our alternative economic strategy

Emergency strike motion that was debated at conference
Conference reports
Education unions ballot over pensions
It’s time to take sides – join PCS

Updates from the Brighton conference

Follow live coverage on Twitter at @pcs_union using the hashtag #pcsadc11

If you don't understand the above just go here and read the posts

Some of the tweets - short posts - so far this morning

Stories of redundancy and poverty as delegates listen to debates around how to defend jobs and conditions.

Get out there and build the defence of our jobs and communities - Chris Hickey, DCLG London

Passionate debate as conference delegates debate balloting members on taking action on 30 June to defend jobs and conditions

Increasing numbers of people becoming aware of the impact of government's 'austerity' measures - Fran Heathcote, DWP Northumbria

We are in this together - Richard Rooney, Met Police, supporting motion A520

26 March demo, truly stunning, emotional day. We want to take joint action to defend our jobs and conditions - HMRC Worthing branch

Some of our most stunning victories in last 18 months have been in the private sector - Mark Serwotka

We have to make a stand now, before it is too late - Mark Serwotka

Praise for UK Uncut and and student movement as in forefront of fight against cuts and for tax justice Mark Serwotka at

Royal Household's staff praised for their campaign for a London living wage with protest outside Buck House

Forestry Commission and Coastguard campaign show we can make a difference and we can win when we stand together - MS

There is an alternative...

If you are having trouble reaching the PCS website try this alternative address

The problems have been caused by cyber criminals attack the PCS website.

There is also an alternative to government spending cuts - read it here

Follow the PCS Brighton conference on social networking websites

There are regular updates from the annual delegate conference on twitter at @pcs_union - follow the hashtag #pcsadc11.

You can also find updates on the Facebook group "PCS union members" - you don't have to be a PCS member to join.

Victimised Home Office duo applauded at conference

Victimised Home Office reps Mark Hammond and Sue Kendal received rapturous applause when they addressed their group conference on Tuesday morning.

The reps, both from Folkestone, were sacked after a strike last October involving UK border force worker and PCS believes they were singled-out because of their trade union activity.


They had been involved in a lengthy dispute in European Operations and actively campaigned to fight Home Office job cuts.

PCS launched a campaign in March against the job cuts and the sacking of Mark and Sue, its senior elected reps.

Mark, the group’s former president, who was dismissed while on certified sick leave and two days after a successful strike, told the group conference in Brighton: “I think we have been victimised on the basis of our trade union activities.”

Sue told delegates she had suffered from intimidation and bullying since becoming a rep in July 2009 - a decision that went down very badly with local management.

She also discovered that the decision to suspend her had been taken a month before it was implemented. The pair were dismissed for groundless allegations that they produced a magazine that poked fun at local managers.

Sue said: “We were effectively dismissed because we received an unsolicited email from a rep accused of publishing the magazine sent to our private addresses, but this episode gave the senior management the perfect opportunity to exact retribution on reps who had caused them problems.”

She said they raised a page-long grievance to management which was ignored. The appeals have finished and the next stage is the civil service appeal board and then an employment tribunal if they are not successful there.

Show no fear

Home Office group secretary Paul O’Connor told conference the sackings were simply acts of victimisation: “This was nothing to do with a newsletter or any lampooning. What we’re being asked to believe by the employer is that they were so shocked and offended by this publication.

“This is a hard-nosed employer intent on breaking the union. This is an exercise in victimisation of trade union officials which has happened right through the ages from the Tolpuddle Martyrs transported to Van Diemen's Land to miners in the 1980s being charged with such a heinous crime as trampling the winter barley.

“We have to show no fear in the face of intimidation tactics by the employer.”
Conference arrangements
PCS in the Home Office
There is an alternative - PCS says there's no need for any cuts
Follow PCS conference on twitter
It's time to take sides - join PCS

Strike motion to be debated at conference today

PCS and other public sector trade unions are working together to defend jobs, pensions and pay.
If government negotiators won’t back down the unions are preparing to respond with co-ordinated strike action.
PCS’s national executive has agreed to put the following emergency motion to the union’s ruling delegate conference in May:
"Conference condemns the policies of the coalition government which are designed to cut hundreds of thousands of public sector jobs, cut services, attack public sector workers’ pensions, and which have imposed a two-year pay freeze.
Conference further condemns the proposed redundancies that have been recently announced in a number of areas and believes they could have been avoided.
Conference notes that the government has already made it clear that it will implement the Hutton proposals meaning members will pay higher contributions and work longer for a lower pension.
Conference believes that it was not the jobs, pensions or pay of public sector workers which caused the economic crisis and rejects the coalition government’s attempts to scapegoat public services.
Conference welcomes the recommendation of the April NEC for a national ballot for discontinuous strike action and for discontinuous action short of a strike. Conference further welcomes the ongoing talks with the education unions for joint action involving hundreds of thousands of public sector workers.
Conference therefore instructs the incoming NEC to:
• Proceed with a national ballot in defence of jobs, pensions and pay
• Continue to work with other trade unions to co-ordinate the action for maximum impact.
Conference therefore urges all members and activists to prioritise mobilising for a ‘yes, yes’ vote.
PCS branches will be debating the resolution at meetings before the conference.
All PCS members are urged to attend and join the discussion – your idea could be the one that wins the dispute.
Teachers’ union backs strike vote
The Alternative – PCS’s latest campaign newsletter

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Serwotka to warn delegates: 'Everything we have ever worked for is under threat'

The Public and Commercial Services union's annual conference opens in Brighton tomorrow (18) with delegates asked to endorse a ballot for a national strike over jobs, pensions and pay.
In his keynote address before the debates begin, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka is expected to say:
"This coming year is the most important year in our history as we face battles over jobs, privatisation, pensions, pay and our terms and conditions.
"Everything we have ever worked for is under threat from this government.
"The services we provide and the jobs we do are under threat. The government's strategy on pay makes no economic sense. And George Osborne says public sector pensions are 'unsustainable' but the National Audit Office disagrees and Lord Hutton's report showed the cost of public sector pensions is falling.
"The scale and injustice of these attacks, announced by the government without consultation and sometimes simply imposed, means our national executive committee is unanimously recommending a ballot for strike action.
"The government is trying to divide us - picking off different workers at different times. But if we vote for strike action we will be co-ordinating with unions representing another half a million public sector workers."
On wider campaigning and working with other organisations, including UK Uncut and community campaigners, he will say:
"For years our union has been at the forefront of the tax justice campaign, and we are proud to support UK Uncut that has popularised our message that the real fraudsters and the real scroungers are to be found in the boardrooms not in the jobcentres.
"Like many I have been inspired by the student protests that erupted at the end of last year - hundreds of thousands of young people taking to the streets because they had been betrayed, again.
"Their passion and their organisation surprised me and it also inspired me - because too often people have labelled young people as apolitical and apathetic.
"We are also working with organisations like Black Activists Rising Against Cuts and supporting initiatives like the Hardest Hit march last week - because black people, migrant communities and disabled people are not to blame for the crisis, but they are some of the worst-hit victims of it.
"We cannot allow our communities to be divided at this time: whether between those born here or born abroad, those in work or those out of work, or between those who work in the public sector and those in the private sector.
"On Friday we'll be hearing from Len McCluskey, the newly elected general secretary of Unite - a union like ours that represents workers in both the public and private sectors, a union that knows the importance of campaigning hard, and a union with which we will be signing a joint agreement to embed our new working relationship at every level.
To sum up, he will say:
"This coming year is going to be one of the most challenging years for the trade union movement - and public sector trade unions in particular - as the coalition government seeks to make the public sector and its workforce pay for the crisis, through cuts to jobs, services, pay and pensions.
"We will need to be creative in our campaigning, tough in our bargaining, and prepared to take action. We will continue to work, and build links, with other trade unions to make our voice as powerful as possible in our campaigning and in any industrial action.
"We can work together, campaign together and, yes, strike together - and together we can win."

Visit the PCS website http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Spreading news of the alternative spurred on cyclist

PCS campaigning inspired cyclist Mark Chapman to ride from northern Scotland to the union’s national conference on the south coast of England.
Mark, chair of the Revenue and Customs Aberdeen and Inverness PCS branch, travelled 800 miles in nine days, sharing the union’s message of an alternative to government’s cuts with as many people as possible on the way.
Mark said: “I saw the alternative booklet and my vision was that it should land on everybody’s doorstep. The messages of support I received on Facebook and on my blog have been unbelievable and kept me going, even through the driving wind and rain.
“I wanted to make a difference and raise awareness about the campaign as I went along.”
The cyclist has also been raising money for the PCS hardship fund; the Multiple Sclerosis Society; and the Val Irvine Foundation, a charity named after a close friend who died of cancer.
Save Wick
He was also keen to highlight the campaign to prevent the closure of Wick tax office and stopped off at HMRC offices and sites en route that are under threat of closure or have closed, and talked about the union's campaign for the alternative to spending cuts.
Mark was supported during his trip by his wife Marie and also joined for a leg of his journey by PCS Scottish secretary Lynn Henderson.
His parents were with him from Chesterfield onwards.
Standing ovation
PCS Revenue and Customs group president Dave Bean praised Mark’s ‘fantastic achievement’ and presented him with a certificate and a bottle of champagne during the first morning of the group’s two-day conference. Fellow delegates gave Mark a standing ovation.
He celebrated the end of his journey on Saturday with a single glass of wine.
He said: “I didn’t want to risk anything more as I’d been alcohol-free and eating healthily since the start of the year.”
Mark, looked surprisingly sprightly after his marathon, and is more determined than ever to fight the cuts - through his branch, Aberdeen trades council and PCS town committee.
He said: “The bike’s already gone back and the next thing for me is a public meeting in Aberdeen as part of campaigning against the cuts. I think I’m going to be busy.”
The PCS annual conference is at the Brighton Centre, Kings Road, from Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 May.
So far Mark has raised around £10,000.

Visit Mark’s website – The Long Road to Brighton
Sponsor Mark

Try the PCS website at http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Building the movement to defeat the cuts

The president of PCS in the Department of Work and Pension has called on activists to build a movement that can defeat the government’s cuts.
Jane Aitchison, elected group president for a seventh year, made the rallying call during her opening address to her group’s conference (on Monday).
She said: “Over the last 12 months we have had to work for members of CCD (Contact Centre Directorate) and all members of DWP to fight the spread of the government’s more for less culture.
“Members are absolutely determined to transform conditions at CCD and this conference will back those members 100%.”
She praised the strike action taken by PCS members at the seven Telephony and Processing Implementation Project (TPIP) sites and in Jobcentre call centres. She said members would need to show determination to fight the cuts in DWP and outside.
Jane said: “The brutal Jobcentre plus closure plan announced on Friday shocked members to the core. There are presently at least 2,500,000 (approximate number of unemployed people) reasons not to close DWP offices?
“We face some particularly serious threats, especially over the cuts, but we have shown some tremendous strength over the last 12 months. We are organising to win and together we will win.”
The group conference was due to discussing welfare reform in its post-lunch session.

Try the PCS website at http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Shadow minister condemns ideologically-driven cuts

The government’s ideologically-driven cuts are undermining the public’s trust in services, according to shadow prisons minister Helen Goodman.
The Bishop Auckland MP told the PCS National Offender Management Service group conference in Brighton (on Monday) that the government was deliberately attacking the public sector because the Conservative Party had a “small state” ideology.
She said: “Big cuts reduce the public’s trust in public services.”
The former civil servant also criticised the government’s attack on pensions.
She said: “I don’t think it’s right that public sector workers on £15,000 should fund the salaries of senior managers. The attack on pensions by this government is one of the most pernicious attacks that is going on at the moment.
“Why should the people who have not contributed to the banking crisis be the ones who feel it in their pockets rather than bankers with very high salaries?”

Anger over privatisation

She said she understood the anger over the planned privatisation of Birmingham prison: “I know people were very upset about the decision on the privatisation of Birmingham prison and obviously I understand that. I fear that the private prisons will be able to choose the prisoners who are easier to handle.
“A prison cannot be treated as an isolated unit, there needs to be a co-operative relationship.”
The shadow cabinet member was highly critical of justice minister Kenneth Clarke’s “breaking the cycle” green paper.
She said Clarke’s target-setting for the prison population “undermines the process of justice”.
She criticised plans to cut sentences for criminals giving early guilty pleas as provided a “real risk of handing over sentencing policy to the criminal” and presented a “real risk of undermining confidence in the justice system of the British people.
“Ken Clarke wants more sentencing in the community but at the same time is cutting probation services by 25%. This is moving in the wrong direction. His slashing across the board is just not credible.”
The speech was followed by a lively question and answer session during which members asked questions on a variety of subjects, including performance-related pay, employers being encouraged to water down employment rights and attack trade unions by David Cameron, “morally repugnant prison privatisation” and the civil service compensation scheme.

Try the PCS website at http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Armed to defend the welfare state - pamphlet launch

PCS is launching a pamphlet on the need to defend and strengthen the welfare state.

The 24-page booklet will be unveiled at a public meeting in Brighton next week – during PCS’s conference in the city.

The aim is to arm activists with the information needed to campaign against attacks on benefits – and to put forward ideas for the future of the welfare state.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “It’s the mark of a civilised society to support people when they are in need, whether they are ill, disabled or unemployed. Welfare is there to provide a decent existence.

“Coming from the South Wales valleys and working in a DHSS office I saw the importance of the social security system before my eyes every day.”

Mark is speaking at the launch event with Labour MP John McDonnell, chair of the PCS parliamentary group, and Linda Burnip from Disabled People Against Cuts.

The meeting is open to everybody and is in the Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR, at 5.30pm on Thursday 19 May.

The booklet – called ‘Welfare: an alternative vision’ - will be available to download from Friday 20 May at pcs.org.uk/welfare

Try the PCS website http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Defending the vulnerable vital says DWP group conference

Defending jobs, vital services and the vulnerable from government attacks was the common theme running through a debate on welfare during the afternoon session of the PCS Department for Work and Pensions group conference (on Monday).
Gerry McMahon from DWP Glasgow was impassioned in his criticism of the government’s welfare plans, including introducing universal credit, which amounts to a £18 billion cut in welfare.
He said: “I get 15 or 16 appointments a day with people for me to help find work, but since the bankers’ bailout of £1.3 trillion it has been virtually impossible and because we’re trying to place 2.5 million customers in 500,000 vacancies a large number of these are low paid, part-time or unsuitable.”
Andy Lawson of DWP North London branch said: “The government is pushing through its welfare to work programme that forces the unemployed into unpaid and menial work; that’s the reality of the big society.
“When it was introduced in Germany people lost their jobs, ended up on the dole and were made to come back and work for free. It was used to force down wages for people in work.
“We’re talking about cuts in jobs, cuts in wages and a complete tearing up of everything we have.”
Rosie Huzzard, from Sheffield, said the key to defeating the government’s welfare plans was for PCS reps to work with claimants’ groups and unemployed activists in their areas.
 General executive committee member Helen Flanagan said: “Universal credit is an attack on claimants, the poor and our members’ jobs.”

Child maintenance plans “an attack”

The government’s child maintenance plans were described as “nothing more than an attack” by DWP GEC member Martin Cavanagh who spoke to a motion on the subject.
He said: “Eight hundred and sixty-eight thousand children have benefited from the scheme. It has brought more and more children out of poverty.
“The scheme should be run to bring more children out of poverty and not run for profit and for shareholders.”
Linda Hancock, Fife said: “The coalition government is effectively attacking the most vulnerable in society. In this case it’s the children who have no voice for themselves. It’s taking away a free service which has had its most effective two years and replacing it with one accessible to the few.”

Support disabled people’s struggle

Proposals by the Tory-led coalition to change the disability living allowance are motivated by cost-cutting said group delegate Martin Jones during a debate on the subject.
He added: “Cutting costs is the motivation. It elevates the meaning of Scrooge to a new level. Two thousand 150 people have already gone from the department since 2004.”
Dean Rhodes, of the Fylde Central benefits branch, said: “We know the truth and recognise that plans to reform DLA is nothing more than an assault on disabled people across the country. Pressure and intimidation will be applied to disabled people. We must continue to challenge these proposals at every step. We must stand with disabled people and support their struggle.”

Poor left to indignity of charity

The most vulnerable in society could be forced to rely on the indignity of food vouchers or charity as the government makes radical changes to the social fund system.
The prospect of a future reliance on charity and the voluntary sector was raised by speakers to a motion on the subject.
Nick Bird, of Norfolk and Suffolk DWP branch, said: “We have been put into an impossible situation. Councils, who can’t even afford to provide a school crossing service, will be responsible for delivering the fund so vulnerable people will be reliant on food vouchers and the voluntary sector to supply home furnishings. How are they going to be able to provide a crisis loan system?”
Derek Thomson, of the DWP GEC, said: “The most vulnerable people in society are left in critical need of support.”
A new PCS booklet on welfare reform will be launched at the Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR, at 5.30pm on Thursday 19 May.

Try the PCS website http://www.pcs.org.uk/

This is why we're here...

Cyber criminals are targeting the Public and Commercial and Services union's website as it prepares for one of its most important annual conferences in its history.

The union has announced today (16) that, as delegates begin to gather in Brighton, is facing a sustained and well-organised denial-of-service attack that has seriously affected access to the site.

The attack started on Wednesday 11 May and has meant the website has at times struggled to cope with average hourly traffic 1,000 times greater than normal.

The union says its main priority is to fix the problem so that its members and other visitors can access information about its campaign for the alternative to the government's cuts and updates from its annual conference which opens on Wednesday (18).

Delegates to the conference in Brighton will be asked to back a national strike ballot over cuts to jobs, pensions and pay, and for the union to "work with other trade unions to co-ordinate the action for maximum impact".

The DoS attack means the site is being overwhelmed by 'false' traffic from computers programmed to repeatedly try to access pages. This has had no effect on the security of data held on sections of the website.

The union continues to work with its web development company Pixl8 to thwart the attacks and ensure normal service is resumed as soon as possible. In the meantime it is directing members and site visitors to Facebook and Twitter for updates.

Alex Skinner, managing director of Pixl8, said "DoS attacks remain a continual threat to those operating websites. The challenge is putting measures in place that ensure continual availability of a website while minimising the impact to legitimate users. We have seen an increase in this type of activity in recent months and this particular attack is one of the largest we have experienced."

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "This is a clear attempt to undermine our union at what is a critical time. Whoever is doing it might succeed in slowing our website down for a few days but they will not silence our members who are determined to fight the government's unfair and unnecessary cuts.

"We are doing everything we can to ensure normal service is resumed as soon as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused by this illegal and unprovoked attack."
Try the PCS website http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Problems accessing the PCS website

As of Wednesday 11 May 2011 the PCS website has been experiencing ongoing severe technical problems that have affected some visitors access to the website.

Following ongoing investigations, we can now confirm that these problems have been caused by a substantial denial-of-service (DoS) attack against the website.

A DoS attack is an attempt to make a computer resource (in this case, the PCS website) unavailable to its audience by overwhelming the website with 'false' traffic. This traffic does not consist of legitimate visitors.

It is important to note that this has had no effect on the security of the information we hold, such as membership data.

With our web development company, we are doing all we can to minimise the effects of these attacks on our website and to ensure that normal service is resumed as soon as possible, so that visitors can find out the latest on our campaign for an alternative to government cuts and this year’s annual conference.

We thank members and visitors to the site for their understanding and patience during this period, and apologise for any inconvenience caused by this illegal and unprovoked attack.

While access to the site is disrupted, you can continue to find out the latest updates from us by: