Thousands of PCS members will have been celebrating as the Tories crashed out of office on 4th July. But the mood about the new government is muted. And with good reason. Many of us remember the brutal attacks under the last Blair/Brown Labour government – on jobs, pay, office closures and more.
Speaking from the NATO summit on 11th July Keir Starmer has already confirmed that he would not be “giving unions what they want” on pay given the state of the public finances!
This is a signal that whilst we hope for the best, we cannot be complacent. We need to continue to put pressure on the new Government. The need for PCS to rebuild a national campaign on pay, jobs, pensions and conditions remains vital.
Branches backed the fighting strategy set out in motion A315 on the national campaign at PCS conference in May. This motion also called out both the mishandling and ditching of the national campaign last year and the national ballot by the previous LU leadership of the union.
The new Left Coalition majority on the NEC which includes Broad Left Network members stood on a platform for change and a programme capable of defeating the employers and government attacks on our members. We are working hard to try to progress conference policy and to seize the opportunity given to us by the election of a new government. But it is not straight forward.
Obstruction at every step
The newly elected NEC met on June 4th and the new Left Coalition tabled key motions to develop our strategy in the General Election period and take forward our national campaign. The President however unilaterally ruled that we could not discuss them.
His undemocratic act prevented a discussion, by the elected leadership of our union about how we build the pressure on a new Government to win on jobs, pay, pensions and conditions. This prevented discussion about how to utilise our strength during the election campaign.
The Left Coalition were keen to use the strike mandates won in the last ballot to send a very firm signal to the incoming Government from day one that PCS is determined to fight and win.
To force a discussion on these crucial questions, the NEC Left Coalition had to demand a special meeting be called under the rules of our union. These rules which are designed to ensure that the President or General Secretary cannot avoid the democratic decisions of the NEC by simply failing to call a meeting. Again, the President tried to obstruct and delay, finally calling the meeting for the 10th of July.
The Left Coalition were clear about what we wanted to discuss. We prepared and submitted detailed motions on the national campaign, the victimisation of reps at Benton Park View, union organising and legal support for members. We also submitted a motion on the PCS staffing restructure announced by the General Secretary at huge cost to the union, using members money at a time when many of our members are seriously struggling to make ends meet – with no discussion with the NEC or any other democratically elected body.
The President and General Secretary failed to release the information about leverage that could be delivered in areas with a mandate to the National Disputes Committee or the NEC until after the General Election. This, despite the fact it was available in early June.
Push Labour, then escalate
At the July 10th NEC we expressed concern that letters written to Keir Starmer this year by the General Secretary had received no response. The motion tabled by the Left Coalition was eventually discussed and carried after we voted down a paper tabled by GS, Fran Heathcote. This motion made clear that the Government should be given a final chance to make a real difference for our members to:
• Withdraw the attack on Benton Park View reps and reinstate those PCS reps who have been dismissed at the site, as this is in consequence of their union activity.
• Withdraw the attack on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) across the Civil Service, begun by the Tories with a hostile Cabinet Office paper in May 2024.
• Instruct Departments to immediately begin working with civil service trade unions to withdraw the myriad attacks on union rights carried out from 2010 to 2024.
If this is unanswered, or if the government aren’t willing to offer more than words about the issues which matter to civil servants across the UK government workforce, including the Treasury Pay Remit, then it is vital we build for action over the next period.
A BLN supporter Marion Lloyd made a supplementary proposal – which was agreed – that a full review of the £3/£5 monthly strike levy be undertaken, including options to raise the threshold for members to pay the higher £5 monthly rate. The numbers reported as leaving the union over the levy – designed to pay for strike action – are low, but BLN supporters are not convinced that the information presented by the General Secretary is accurate.
The union must build to win, setting out what needs to be done and how we do it, organising mass meetings of reps and members explaining our plan.
Involving activists in discussions and campaigning activity, utilising the vast knowledge and ideas from lay reps right across the union must be part of building the necessary campaign to win. This includes utilising our current mandate, but as part of a broader campaign including for meaningful, targeted strike action. This must go hand in hand with building membership confidence to fight and prepare for what is likely to be, the need for fresh ballots for strike action.
All this activity brings pressure to bear and helps build our campaign. To hear more invite us to your members meetings, your BEC, your GEC, your Regional Meetings and work with us to build the necessary response to the employer.
Benton Park View – defend PCS reps under attack
Branches fully backed our reps under attack at Benton Park View at our recent conference. To sack union activists for undertaking their elected role is a disgrace and we must act to protect the individuals, our union and send a strong message to the employer not to mess with our reps and members.
Hector Wesley, PCS National Vice President, HMRC Group President and supporter of the Majority Left coalition on the NEC, has been working closely with the branch, as have other NEC members, to ensure full support for all those who are victimised, but, importantly, also work to build the major campaign necessary to reverse all of the attacks. Such a campaign must include mobilising members at BPV to prepare for strike action.
Disgracefully the National President threw the motion proposed by Broad Left Network off the agenda. A motion setting out a robust strategy to defend our reps and which had been agreed by both the Benton Park View branch officers and reps from the HMRC Group Executive Committee.
The President only allowed a weaker paper from the General Secretary to be put to the NEC on these attacks, carried only because the alternative better strategy had been ruled off the agenda. We continue to work with the reps in the branch in the best traditions of the labour movement and it is important that branches send messages of support to the branch and the activists concerned.
Help us build up the national campaign
The NEC majority is serious about building an effective campaign working with and consulting those areas who have a live mandate and with the whole membership to prepare the ground to win a re-ballot for strike action. We must increase the power of our union to respond to the Treasury remit and any other plans which will be put forward by the new Government which has already announced its intent to keep to the previous Government spending rules.
We need your help to defeat the bureaucratic obstruction of LU led by the President and the General Secretary who are just interested either in blocking any progress or implementation of conference policies by the left NEC majority. Or over-riding democracy to install their candidate on the TUC General Council, by ruling out our alternative nomination, John Moloney the recently re-elected Asst General Secretary or restructure the union staff to favour and reward their supporters at our expense.
Want to fight with us to rebuild a fighting, democratic union?
Come to our Zoom public meeting at 7pm on Wednesday 24th July https://fb.me/e/1Mh4wbYno
And we urge all reps across all areas – UK or devolved civil service, privatised or arms-length body, large employer or small – join the Broad Left Network and get involved now!
PCS Broad Left Network 