PCS

Public & Commercial Services Union - trade union for civil servants

The case for selective action

The civil service union PCS is undertaking a critical national consultative ballot of members to find out whether they support the executive council’s strategy in the national dispute over jobs, pay, privatisation and other issues. In strict legal terms the union does not need the ballot as it secured a legal mandate for discontinuous strike action when it balloted members late last year. Indeed, even if the ballot is lost, that would not nullify the existing legal strike mandate. Nevertheless, it is vital that there is a large turnout for the ballot and that members vote “yes”. Anything less...

PCS- More action?

PCS is now in the midst of balloting its members concerning future industrial action. Members are being told that if they vote “yes” in the ballot there will be a one day strike later this year – the stated aim being to achieve the greatest impact on the media, public opinion and politicians. The one day action is to be co-ordinated with other unions if possible. Further, the sub sections of the union, called Groups (these cover a department or agency) are to take action “if there is a dispute over an issue which is part of the national campaign such as pay, redundancies or office closures”...

DWP Pay Dispute

Following their rejection of a three year pay offer that will see 27% of staff in the Department of Work and Pensions staff get consolidated rises of 2% in year 1, 40% get 0% in year 2 and 49% get 1% in year 3, PCS and Prospect have met with DWP bosses for further talks. Another meeting is taking place as we go to press, with the PCS DWP executive meeting on 27 September “to receive a report of these talks and take decisions on the next stage of our campaign.” (The Retail Price Index rate of inflation — PCS’s preferred measure — rose to from 3.8% in July to 4.1% in August.) It is not clear yet...

Build Local Solidarity

At TUC conference motions were passed calling for coordinated action, and use was even found for the old slogan that “unity is strength”. But behind the scenes union leaders were singing a different tune... Unison’s Health group ballot on pay got a 2 to 1 vote for accepting a staged 2.5% deal. This followed efforts by full time officers to close down any campaign for a no vote. A majority of NHS workers in England will now get a rise of 1.9% this year, half of even the most conservative inflation figure. The setback was used to try and pressure Unison’s Local Government Executive to back down...

Civil service and Unison local government to ballot for strikes

The executive of the civil service union PCS has decided on a further "consultative ballot on national industrial action". The ballot started on 28 September and will close on 22 October. Local government workers in Unison will also ballot on strike action, against the 2.475% pay offer, from 5 October to 26 October. Unison has pencilled in two days’ strike action for 14-15 November. Encouraged by these moves, 19 members of the Executive of the National Union of Teachers have called for a special Exec meeting to review the NUT's timetable, which up to now has foreseen a ballot in November...

PCS to "consult" yet again

If looks could kill... If “consultations” could crush, then civil service workers would already have a levelling-up of pay to across-the-service decent rates, and stopped the Government’s drastic job cuts. After “consulting” its members at length over the summer about its barely-started campaign on jobs and pay, the civil service union PCS has announced that: “Feedback from the consultation meetings was that members clearly accept the need for further national action to resolve the dispute, alongside other unions if possible”. So the PCS will call action? Alongside the postal workers, due to...

PCS to "consult" yet again

If looks could kill... If "consultations" could crush, then civil service workers would already have a levelling-up of pay to across-the-service decent rates, and stopped the Government's drastic job cuts. After "consulting" its members at length over the summer about its barely-started campaign on jobs and pay, the civil service union PCS has announced that: "Feedback from the consultation meetings was that members clearly accept the need for further national action to resolve the dispute, alongside other unions if possible". So the PCS will call action? Alongside the postal workers, due to...

Luton trade unionists set up solidarity committee

Trade unionists in Luton are setting up a joint committee to organise solidarity with the postal workers and other disputes now developing. It follows the example of a similar committee in Leeds . The organisers write: "Even though the strikes have been postponed we all share a common interest and a common enemy. Let’s unite to defend our jobs and services". The group is meeting on Wednesday 12 September, 6pm at the Postels Club, Dunstable Rd, Luton. The speakers include John Farnon (CWU) and Charlie McDonald (PCS). More: lutonunionsunite@btinternet.com

Civil Service: build for selective action!

Civil Service: build selective action By a PCS member THE civil service union PCS and the postal workers’ union CWU have separate national disputes over low pay, below inflation pay offers, massive job losses, and privatisation/outsourcing. Despite national action by both unions it is clear that the Brown Government has no intention of making any meaningful concessions to either union. Right now the Treasury is clearing the annual pay settlements for the myriad devolved civil service bargaining units. All are guaranteed to mean civil servants receiving less than the rate of inflation in 2007...

Unite on public sector pay!

By a PCS activist In his June 2006 Mansion House speech Gordon Brown promised to peg increases in the public sector pay bill to 2% over two years. It is symptomatic of his politics that he should assure an audience of rich men and women of his commitment to cutting the real pay of many thousands of public sector workers in this way. Public sector workers have to take pay cuts while the public sector paid out nearly £2 billion last year to external consultants — leading even the Tory Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Edward Leigh, to comment, “.. a good proportion of [the pay out] looks...

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