Public and Commercial Services Union

Talks on national dispute

This issue of Informed gives a report of the decisions taken at the
NEC meeting held on 27–29 November 2007

Much of the National Executive Committee’s meeting in November was taken up with the national dispute in the civil service and NDPBs over jobs, pay and conditions.

The NEC welcomed the big ‘yes’ vote in the recent national ballot on further action, and the offer by the Cabinet Office of negotiations. These talks are real breakthrough.

Meetings with your branch representatives are now beginning in a series of Regional Forums. These are important for explaining and discussing the national talks and the next phase of our campaign.

The NEC has agreed that national industrial action will not be called, despite the ‘yes’ vote in the ballot, while the talks are taking place. But action will take place if compulsory redundancy notices are issued to any PCS members, or the talks fail to deliver real results. Plans for action at Group level continue to be important both to confront Group issues and to help support the national campaign.

The message from the NEC was that we will approach the national talks constructively, and hope for a successful conclusion, but the union is standing ready, not standing down.

DWP strike

In the meantime, the NEC was also clear that the present talks could not resolve the key issue around pay policy – that of the governments central pay limit of 2%. In some groups, the anger at imposed sub-inflation increases was such that action was inevitable. Members in the DWP, for example, had voted for strike action, and two days were announced during the NEC meeting – 6th and 7th December. All members were urged to support our DWP colleagues by visiting picket
lines or other events organised over the two days.

Campaigning with other unions

Talks between public sector unions at the TUC were continuing over the potential for joint action against the governments pay cap in 2008, in which PCS was arguing strongly for a pro-active and forceful strategy. The TUC is also planning to launch a national campaign on public sector pay.

Defending our representatives

Eddie Fleming, the branch chair of the PCS Child Support Agency Hastings branch, has been dismissed on charges relating to his trade union duties. Eddie is a well respected elected union representative who has served members for more than 7 years in Hastings and at National CSA levels.

The PCS branch committee has launched a campaign to defend Eddie. In recent weeks Eddie has received hundreds of messages of support from colleagues in the CSA and across the Labour movement.

The NEC was unanimous in giving Eddie and his branch full support for their struggle for his reinstatement. The PCS Parliamentary Group of MPs is to be fully briefed. The NEC will send a speaker to a rally in Eddie’s support, and will ensure that DWP Group has the necessary
resources for the campaign. As trade unionists we believe that an attack on our reps is an attack on the union and PCS will be taking every possible step to support Eddie.

In a similar vein, the NEC agreed to make a donation in support of UNISON members in Manchester Mental Health Trust. They are on indefinite strike in support of UNISON rep and mental health nurse Karen Reissmann, who was sacked for speaking out against cuts and privatisation.

These two cases show the need for unions to defend their presentatives vigorously, and the NEC remains determined to do so.

Pensions governance

One of the outcomes of the successful pensions dispute in 2005 was the agreement that a “Governance Group” should be set up. The terms for this have now been agreed, it was reported to the NEC. Although not a negotiating body, it will monitor the delivery of Civil Service pensions, and will ensure union involvement in the way in which scheme costs are calculated. This will be important if future changes are discussed. There will be five trade union and five Cabinet Office nominees on the Group, with an independent chair.