Public and Commercial Services Union

Contact required with GEC members today
Deliver a yes/yes vote in the Ballot

National ballot

HO/BB/04/10 gave details of the latest position reached with regard to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS). The National Executive Committee has agreed that a national ballot on industrial action is to take place as part of our campaign of members to defend members’ interests. The ballot opens on 4 February 2010 and closes on 25 February 2010.

Members will be asked two questions in the ballot. The first question asks members if they are prepared to take part in discontinuous strike action. The second question asks members if they are prepared to take part in discontinuous action short of a strike. Members are urged to vote yes to both questions

NEC meeting

Following the decision of the NEC to ballot members on a campaign of industrial action to oppose the cuts to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, the Cabinet Officer offered a further round of talks. The talks brought about yet another “final offer” from the employer.

The NEC met in special session on 26 January 2010 to consider the offer. Whilst welcoming the improvements secured in the negotiations, the NEC decide to reject the proposals as inadequate to meet our demands. A further briefing on this will be issued shortly.

The NEC decided that, as winning the ballot is the first priority now for the union, to cancel all non urgent and non CSCS related meetings and sub committees. They have instructed that GECs, regions and branches should do likewise. The priority of reps at all levels is to be in the workplaces or at members meetings preparing and driving out a yes/yes vote.

Regional offices will be asked to coordinate leafleting of major offices and workplaces, in particular at the start of the ballot and regional chairs are asked to make immediate contact with their regional or national secretary to work together on this. All materials and speakers briefs will be on the website over the next few days.

Given the expected large amounts of members meetings, the NEC are asking all senior lay reps to make themselves available for cover these meetings. NEC and national speakers will be available and are already booked out for many AGMs, which of course can be used to gain support for the ballot.

Action for branches

Delivering the yes/yes vote

In HO/BB/04/10 the GEC tasked GECLOs with contacting branches to ensure that workplace meetings were set up to build support for the campaign. It is vital that meetings are arranged where they have not been. The NEC has set priorities for, and requested feedback on, the campaign. This includes:
 

• convening of urgent of BEC meetings to plan the ballot campaign,
• identifying priority workplaces, 
• setting up members meetings in or near these locations where national/ group speakers can attend,
• utilising AGMs where possible and inviting speakers to these meetings
• monitoring attendance levels at these meetings, 
• encouraging other face-to-face discussions with members, 
• arranging for recruitment initiatives in areas of low density

GEC Liaison Officers have been tasked with contacting Branches to put in place plans for delivering the campaign and to provide feedback on progress. Attached to this Briefing is a template which GECLO have been asked to complete. GECLOs have been asked to report the position in Branches to the Group Secretary by close of play today. This gives activists an indication of the urgency of the situation. Accordingly, branches are asked not to wait for contact from their GECLOs but to contact them and provide this information.

Deliver the vote - vote yes/yes

It is vital that members send a clear signal to the employer that we will not accept arbitrary cuts to our entitlements and that we will not allow them to cut our jobs on the cheap. A large majority in favour of industrial action will increase the pressure on the employer. Branches are urged to do all they can to ensure that all members vote yes/yes in the ballot.