Public and Commercial Services Union

D Croft, councillor for Higher croft ward, Blackburn with darwen council

PCS is campaigning for fair pay for its members, meaning that their pay should increase in line with inflation and be negotiated nationally instead of 200 separate sets of negotiations. Do you support PCS's campaign for fair pay for public servants?

Support, most definitely.

There have been recent moves by one Department towards developing a regional pay system which has seen the vast majority of the North West region being rated at the bottom of these regional pay bandings. This means that those Civil Servants will be paid at different rates (for undertaking identical work) simply because of their geographical location. Where do you stand on public service pay being calculated in this way?

This is absolutely appalling and is wrong.

The government has proposed to cut over 100,000 civil and public service jobs. They claim these cuts will not impact service delivery to the public, however every day our members are seeing how less staff means a poorer service to the public. Where do you stand on cutting civil and public service jobs?

I do not believe in the cutting of these jobs. They are vital for our public services.

PCS is concerned that privatisation of the civil service has continued since 1997. We believe this is costly and unnecessary and jeopardises services being delivered to the public, often the most vulnerable in society. Where do you stand on privatising public services?

No, I do not support greater privatisation.

B Gordon, Conservative councillor for Meadowhead ward, Blackburn with Darwen council.

PCS is campaigning for fair pay for its members, meaning that their pay should increase in line with inflation and be negotiated nationally instead of 200 separate sets of negotiations. Do you support PCS's campaign for fair pay for public servants?

I feel that civil and public service jobs have expanded way beyond
what taxpayers and council tax payers can afford. There needs to be a
reduction.

There have been recent moves by one Department towards developing a regional pay system which has seen the vast majority of the North West region being rated at the bottom of these regional pay bandings. This means that those Civil Servants will be paid at different rates (for undertaking identical work) simply because of their geographical location. Where do you stand on public service pay being calculated in this way?

Yes. I do not agree with geographical banding of pay.

The government has proposed to cut over 100,000 civil and public service jobs. They claim these cuts will not impact service delivery to the public, however every day our members are seeing how less staff means a poorer service to the public. Where do you stand on cutting civil and public service jobs?

No response

PCS is concerned that privatisation of the civil service has continued since 1997. We believe this is costly and unnecessary and jeopardises services being delivered to the public, often the most vulnerable in society. Where do you stand on privatising public services?

No response