Public and Commercial Services Union

• 20 February strike massively supported
• Members stand rock solid in their solidarity
• Determination to make the department negotiate about callous removal of allowances

Despite the petty, vindictive and spiteful tactics deployed by European Operations SMT in the days leading up to the strike the morale, camaraderie, high spirits and the unified sense of purpose amongst members was awe inspiring.

This resulted in:

• Massive numbers of members on strike
• Shifts decimated
• Lengthy queues and delays throughout the day in Calais and traffic chaos in Coquelles
• Serious breaches of border security – a robust border control was not maintained
• Large numbers of coaches cleared on board including high risk traffic and mixed nationalities
• Calais freight being operated for a considerable time without a Warnings Index, an extremely serious breach of border security
• Strikebreakers leaving phantom PIDs (with passwords and user names attached) on the desks in the coach hall in Calais. Yet another major breach of security
• One senior officer commenting that the day’s focus was one of “a traffic control not an immigration control”
• Landing stamps at Coquelles being passed from officer to officer with no regard for accountability. Another breach of security
• The coach carrying the Strike-breakers from the hotel arriving hour early at the controls and had to turn around and go back to the hotel
• Management using the threat of disciplinary action to force PCS members from legacy Customs to cover for striking members
• Strike-breakers from Heathrow, Manchester, Status Park and Brodie Clarke’s office collaborating with management to sell out their colleagues
• Senior Managers in Martello House attempting to provoke and inflame PCS members picketing peacefully, by demanding a police presence. A waste of public money
• Senior Managers attempting to coerce Kent Police to stop picketers booing Strike-breakers. Kent Police were unimpressed by the argument. They did, however, enjoy a number of PCS cakes which we were happy to provide.

The action 

In the two months since the last day of action the Department have repeatedly refused to negotiate seriously or offer any proposals. The PCS has made the Department an offer to settle this dispute which deals with what members see as the fundamental betrayal of trust.

This offer would see all members who currently receive juxtaposed allowances retain them on a reserved rights basis. However the PCS has also stated that we will consider any offer that contains compensation for staff whose allowances are being slashed.

The Department refused to accept our proposal and has offered nothing in return. Their “disappointment” about the PCS refusal to negotiate is nothing but spin. PCS are always willing to negotiate.

The turnout

The D and night shifts on the 19th were collected by PCS coaches and over 95% of staff on duty were PCS members taking action. This high turnout was replicated throughout the rest of the shifts on the 20th and finished with members scheduled for the FN and A shifts on the 21st boarding two PCS coaches en masse, and in extremely high spirits. Only one member of staff travelled on the official transport.

The PCS coaches which travelled out empty on the 19th were used to assist charity hitch hikers who were being sponsored £3 for every mile that they travelled away from Norwich in 24hours.

They had missed the last foot passenger ferry and would have been stuck but for our offer to help them out. We received a text the next day to say they were in Spain!

One CIO when asked by a grade 7 to give details of who on the shift was going on strike, replied “ I don’t know, but I will be leading them out”- Respect!

Sadly we have received reports from PCS members that senior managers tried to intimidate members into not striking. We will be advising members on the avenues of action open to them.

Working together for each other

Yet again we have been humbledby the number of members who have put in time and effort leading up to, and during, the strike day. The day of action was a wonderful demonstration of what can be achieved by working together for each other.

On behalf of the PCS Southern & South East BEC, we would like to offer our gratitude and thanks. Thank you

“Hundreds of thousands of pounds”

A senior manager within the strike breaking team was overhead to state that the contingency plans had cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Taxpayers money has been spent on:

Bringing in excessive numbers of staff who were not PCP trained and were therefore only able to search car boots and coaches. Apparently the amount of downtime was significant

• Hotel accommodation, travel costs and subs for strike-breakers
• Strike-breakers were accommodated in hotels for days before the strike
• Rooms meant for the striking D shift on the 20th were blocked by SMT from being used by PCS
• Senior Managers from other regions were brought in to observe
• Additional ECS and Wagtail employed
• Postings and overtime for working ISU members
• Overtime, accommodation and subs for the SMT
• £50 vouchers and A/L days for the last strike
• A team of staff deployed solely on strikebreaking for weeks
• Cost of leaflets advising the public that delays were the result of PCS action. Not used in Calais. A further waste.

Further allegations include free drinks for stike-breakers at the Holiday Inn at Coquelles and enticements of £500 per person in order to strike break. We will be pleased to hear from anyone who has substantive information about this.

Yet again the Department demonstrates that it can find funding when it wants to - as with the £15 million pounds earmarked for the Evian project.

This is why members do not believe the SMT when it states that there are no funds for continuing the payment of allowances. And this is why there has been a complete breakdown of trust in the SMT as they demonstrate time after time that they see hard working, flexible and dedicated PCS members as easy targets.

What next?

This was a highly successful day of action and we intend to continue to build on that by increasing the pressure on the Department in several ways:

Action short of a strike is ongoing and PCS has issued guidance on what format that should take.

A national ballot of members in line to be forced to provide cover on strike days will be held shortly. This will also cover legacy Customs staff and ensure that the Department are unable to even attempt to run a viable control.

PCS reps will be talking to you over the next couple of weeks about the next steps as we want to make sure that we are fully reflecting how the membership wants this dispute to be taken forward.

We will be seeking support from members to take forward a programme of action that will force the Department to seriously negotiate.

PCS hopes that management are in no doubt as to the strength of the solidarity and determination of members.

PCS calls upon the department to engage in meaningful negotiations to end this dispute now.