A decisive left majority win of 21:14 in the 2026 National elections provided a positive context to this year’s PCS conference. But winning the NEC was only one part of the battle – we had to win support for a fighting programme-a mandate for the new leadership.
And we did – on all the key issues we won the votes and we won the arguments on the conference floor. The “can’t do-won’t do” attitude of the Left Unity/Democracy Alliance defeated leadership was exposed and defeated by the BLN and our coalition partners. Our support on the floor, amongst the delegates was undeniable.
Build a serious campaign to save jobs, improve pay and defend conditions
The outgoing leadership made no attempt to launch a national campaign during their year in office. Their “do nothing” approach was demonstrated by their failure to provide any strategy of its own to conference setting out how were going to win on pay, jobs and the myriad of other issues faced by members. But delegates rejected this and voted to support motion A375 by 204 votes to 133. This was despite the NEC opposition and despite LU attacks on everything from the proposed timing of the struggle to the so-called “shopping list” of demands proposed.
Carrying A375 means that the new NEC will now develop a serious campaign on pay, jobs, pensions, conditions, will put our demands to the Cabinet Office and if progress is not made to move to a dispute, allied to other unions if possible.
The new Executive will meet this week (29th May) to agree a negotiating and campaign strategy, taking account of conference policy and the 3.5% pay remit just announced by the government. Meanwhile, the General Secretary has wasted no time in undermining the policy just agreed and issued a briefing to members making no reference to the carriage of Motion A375 and one could be mistaken for thinking she was welcoming the details in the pay remit. Despite this, the left Coalition will ensure that the elected lay-member NEC will thoroughly debate the pay remit and set out a way forward to be discussed and decided by members and reps.
Taking On the Far Right
Motion A111, agreed by conference, sets out am ambitious strategy for tackling the threat of the far right:
“Conference believes…a party based on the organised working class that fights for anti-racist, anti-war, socialist policies is vital to prevent the far-right harnessing the growing anger of working-class people with Starmer’s Labour.”
The NEC must now develop and implement a serious approach to take forward the PCS and the official TUC policy of “Workers’ unity, not division – jobs and homes, not racism”. This must prioritise our anti-austerity programme and, should Labour not implement policies to improve the lives of workers, including PCS members, the NEC is instructed to convene a conference with other unions to discuss the building of a political vehicle for workers.
This will be a major task in the year ahead. If the first priority for the new left NEC is launching a cost-of-living campaign, priority two must be developing an alternative political voice which represents our needs and stops the election in 2029 of a viciously pro-austerity, pro-billionaire, anti-public-sector, racist right-wing government that will spell disaster for working class people.
Urging an “anti-Reform” vote is not enough. We must mobilise the rage of working-class people against austerity behind a positive programme addressing the urgent needs of our communities and build an alternative.
Who Runs the Union
A concentration of power and control in the hands of the bureaucracy has become a major feature of the Left Unity leadership. This, together with a lack of basic support for reps formed a series of major debates at conference. Delegate after delegate referenced the failure of the leadership to give effect to policy agreed last year enabling access by local reps to their membership data. A crucial tool if we are to organise and support members in our workplaces and branches.
Supporting motion A124 one delegate summed up the frustration felt by reps – “It would be a joy to be able to communicate with our members directly”. Conference agreed, against Left Unity opposition, and carried the motion on a card vote 66,339 to 45,035.
Access to members’ data to ensure branches are well organised, access to high-quality printed materials, access to up-to-date information so reps know how to answer members’ queries – all of these are either not being done at all or being done badly.
Conference carried motion A33 which clearly set out the need to defend our reps from management victimisation such as we have seen at Benton Park View and now in Wales. The left Coalition NEC will heed this call.
Conference Stands with Trans Members
Conference 2025 was a scene of outrage and controversy, as 10 motions relating to the Supreme Court judgment “For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers” were barred from the agenda. This year, despite more motions being barred from the agenda, Proud, supported by the BLN, forced an emergency motion to be tabled and debated – and put at the top of the Equalities Section.
Motion A348 demanded unconditional support for trans members whose rights are threatened by the Supreme Court judgment and the statutory EHRC code of practice that was issued in the dying minutes of Conference. Despite opposition by LU branches, it sailed through with a clear majority accompanied by huge applause from delegates.
Key to the victory on A348 was the change of heart by the National Standing Orders Committee. The NSOC has far too often bent to pressure exerted by the president and general secretary.
A change in the composition of the committee with two BLN members elected last year played a crucial role in ensuring that democracy prevailed at Conference this year. This year’s block vote elections secured a further two spots on the NSOC giving a 4-1 left majority on this committee.
Join The BLN
The new National Executive Committee, which includes thirteen BLN members, is determined to implement the fighting programme agreed by Conference and take a lead in challenging Labour’s austerity programme and the threat of the far right.
The BLN campaigned hard during the elections leading to the election of a left coalition led NEC. The BLN were responsible for many of the motions discussed at conference and ensuring their adoption. We are an open, democratic socialist group in the PCS. If you are not already a member, please join.
PCS Broad Left Network 