The death of the Queen has pushed aside many issues in some peoples minds, but for most, including PCS members, the huge problems we face – including how we are to make ends meet against a spiralling cost of living – cannot be ignored.
Half a million civil servants watched apprehensively as Liz Truss assembled her new cabinet. The new PM has already publicly committed herself to the 91,000 job cuts announced by Johnson, endorsing the fantasy that there are “back of house” cuts that can be made without massive impact to the millions of citizens who rely on the UK civil service.
Truss did not wait to even take over the office of PM before launching an attack on the civil service trade unions, promising to rein in the use of facility time. She also pledged to consider regional pay, to realise an £8.8bn pay cut to public sector pay. Truss also performed the fastest u-turn in history when it was explained even by fellow Tories that the measures of control over union reps she had called for were already in place, and that her proposed savings would destroy any idea of “levelling up” for 5.5million public sector workers.
Unthinking Tory arrogance over our pay, jobs and working lives is no laughing matter at a time when inflation has risen to 10% and may see 18% within the next 12 months. PCS’ national ballot – covering pay, pensions, redundancy rights, working conditions and staffing – begins on 26th September. Every effort must be made to smash the turnout across every single group in the union.
The Tories and the employers won’t be declaring a truce and workers will still be facing the biggest cost of living crisis in generations. There must be no delay in the national PCS strike ballot and the union must fight for co-ordinated action
There can be only one answer to the chaos unleashed in Whitehall by the army of privatisers, landlords and robbers at the top of the government; determined, disciplined, mass strike action, linking up with our brothers, sisters and comrades in the railway unions, in the postal service and the rapidly proliferating strikes in the rest of the economy.
Truss was forced into the huge concession on energy prices, which could cost twice what was spent on the Covid furlough scheme. This was because this unstable, weak and divided Tory government fear the boiling anger of workers. It shows what could be won if the unions fight and strike together.
Truss and the Tory agenda must be stopped – livelihoods and lives depend on it. Vote yes in the PCS ballot on 26th September.
PCS Broad Left Network 