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Informed July 2008

Campaigning gets results

This issue of Informed gives a report of the decisions taken at the NEC meeting held on 8–10 July 2008.

The July meeting of your NEC considered the next steps in our national dispute over job security, pay, privatisation and conditions of employment.

The NEC had already decided, at a special meeting in June, that there should be a membership ballot in August on the recent national agreement with the Government on avoiding compulsory redundancies.

The NEC had also decided in June that, if there was no positive response from Ministers to our demands for fair pay increases in the public sector, there should be a ballot for national industrial action.

Both these steps implement policies agreed by an overwhelming majority at our Annual Delegate Conference (ADC) in May.

Protocol ballot

The Protocol on avoiding compulsory redudancy will provide improved protection for members who are affected by cuts, privatisation or outsourcing.

Amongst other measures, the agreement should mean that any member declared ‘surplus’ and who wishes to remain in employment will be made the offer of an alternative job.

The NEC agreed that there should be a national membership ballot to endorse the Protocol, beginning on 6 August, and ending on 1st September. There will be a series of workplace meetings at which the Protocol would be explained to members.

The Protocol has been achieved as a result of the campaigning work and national industrial action which has taken place since huge job cuts in the civil service were announced in 2004. Also, in 2005 we persuaded the government to back down on increasing the pension age. And we achieved a good result on the new pension scheme for new entrants – the best pension scheme in the public sector.

Now, securing a better deal on pay for members, including increases which match cost of living rises, and a fair national pay system, is our top priority in the months ahead.

Action on pay

It was reported to the NEC that a meeting had been arranged with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July to again present our demands on pay – in particular for every member to achieve at least a consolidated salary increase equivalent to inflation. If this meeting did not bear fruit, however, the NEC decided to proceed with a ballot for national action over pay. The ballot would begin on 17 September and end on 8 October.

Wherever possible action will be coordinated with other public sector unions. Talks have already been held with a number of unions to prepare for this. A number of areas already having balloted on action over pay will be taking action in July, alongside action by unions in local government (on 16 & 17 July) and health (on 18 July). These include the Driving Standards Agency, Marine & Coastguards Agency and Home Office.

The two PCS motions to the TUC will be on Public Sector Pay and on Tax Justice. The NEC also agreed to re-nominate Mark Serwotka and Janice Godrich as our representatives on the TUC General Council.

Parliamentary activity

John McDonnell MP attended the NEC meeting, and gave his report on the work of the PCS Parliamentary Group (of which he is chair). The Group had been successful in raising PCS members’ concerns over many issues – for example, low pay in DCMS, the future of the Forensic Science Service and local pay rates in the MoJ. Meetings with ministers were due to take place in July over MoJ pay and job cuts and closures in HMRC.

Adjournment debates (a means of getting issues aired in Parliament) had been held on the Marine & Coastguard Agency and National Minimum Wage enforcement.

The NEC was very appreciative of the work of the Group, and went on to approve steps to coordinate PCS work in Parliament with those of other unions, thus increasing our effectiveness still further.

Anti fascist activity

One of the British National Party’s candidates in the May 2008 elections, who worked for the Pension Service, had applied for PCS membership, the NEC heard. It endorsed the General Secretary’s decision to reject the application, in line with ADC policy and the union’s rules.

Further steps were agreed to implement PCS policy of opposing fascist and racist parties, including issuing advice and support to branches and members, and seeking support from the TUC for our policies. Particular attention was drawn to forthcoming campaigns against the British National Party in Stoke and Derbyshire.

In brief

Commercial sector pay

Although government spending restrictions have an impact on many private sector contractors, the Treasury’s pay remit does not apply directly to the commercial sector. However, members in these areas are affected by the same inflation pressures as those on the public sector. PCS will ensure that communications addressed to the commercial sector membership are complementary to the messages of the national campaigns.

Subscriptions policy

A number of proposals for developing a more coherent policy on union subscriptions were agreed, including a new subs maximum. Details will be sent to branches shortly.

STUC black workers conference

Motions for submitting to the Scottish TUC Black Workers Conference in October were agreed. One deals with under-representation of black members in trade union activity, the other with race relations in the public services.

Annual conference decisions

The NEC reflected on this years Annual Conference where more branches than before had been represented and agreed procedures to implement the motions passed. The NEC will keep their implementation under review at its regular meetings.