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...