Public and Commercial Services Union

Elected by the membership every year, the national executive committee (NEC) is the governing body of PCS, responsible for running
your union in line with the policies established by you and other members through national annual conferences and membership ballots.

This issue of Informed gives a report of the decisions taken at the
special NEC meeting held on 1 December and the scheduled meeting on 2-4 December 2008.

• Mark Serwotka, general secretary
• Janice Godrich, president

National pay dispute

Your NEC met in special session on 1 December to consider whether to reinstate industrial action or accept the outcome of the preceding three weeks of national-level talks on pay.

It agreed that the letter from cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell, is a significant improvement in our position as it includes flexibility in the remit guidance for 2009/10 to recycle efficiency savings into pay; a clear statement that there is no longer a 2% pay cap; negotiations to agree the terms of the Treasury remit guidance; and a commitment to talks on future civil service pay reform.

In light of this, the NEC agreed not to call the national industrial action authorised in the ballot of members in September.

During the scheduled meeting which followed on 2-4 December, the NEC thanked all the activists and members whose determination to take action if it proved necessary had been crucial to getting the employer into negotiations.

The pay campaign will continue with talks on the HM Treasury Remit Guidance for 2009, and the NEC will receive a progress report on whether it provides a genuine framework for negotiations.

Further information will be issued to branches explaining the significance of the letter from Gus O’Donnell, and regional forums of branch representatives will be held in the New Year and addressed by members of the NEC.

The national campaign liaison group will be convened immediately and a Special Pay Forum of all bargaining areas with existing disputes organised.

All these actions will permit PCS to test out the commitments on settling outstanding pay disputes given during the negotiations.

Parliamentary activity

John McDonnell MP, chair of the PCS parliamentary group reported to the NEC on the group’s work. He explained the intense work undertaken in support of the pay campaign, and against office closures up and down the country.

Other priorities had included promoting amendments to the Employment Bill to give greater freedom to unions to exclude members of extreme right political organisations, and work on the equality bill to include pay equality.

He gave a critical evaluation of the pre-budget statement, and committed the group to finding out details of how the announced £5 billion “efficiency savings” might affect PCS members.

He pointed out that despite the recent failures of the private sector, “privatisation remains at the heart of the government agenda”.

In a separate discussion, the NEC agreed to contribute £3,000 towards further development of joint campaigning by the trade union coordinating group which in addition, to founding unions PCS, RMT, FBU, and NUJ now includes the POA, NAPO and BFAWU.

Combating the far right

Discussions had been held with the Cabinet Office regarding policy on employment of members of the BNP, the NEC heard. Treasury Solicitors are to be asked to review their advice in light of a recent ET (Potter v Prison Service).

This had ruled that the Prison Service policy of barring members of far right organisations was a legitimate way of meeting their race equality duty.

In the meantime, in response to the leaking of the BNP’s membership list, the measures set out in BB 75/08 should be used as guidance on action to be taken by branches.

Greening the workplace

PCS work on environmental concerns progressed along two routes – bargaining and campaigning, it was reported. As a result of CCSU talks with the Cabinet Office, discussions will now progress towards promotion of good practice and building up a network of environmental reps.

Campaign aims include winning rights for workplace environmental reps, a stringent target for UK reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, a boost in renewable energy production, and opposition to the third Heathrow runway.

A briefing will shortly update members on activities.

Finance and subscriptions

The finance committee reported that a small surplus was possible for the year end, and that estimates for 2009 showed a balanced budget.

The maximum subscription payable was increased by 2.6% to £11.90 per month from 1 February 2009, with equivalent increases for those paying direct debit in non-recognised areas.

NEC, ADC, DGS and AGS elections

Regulations and timetable for the elections at 2009 ADC and for the NEC were reported to the NEC. The NEC also agreed regulations for elections for deputy
and assistant general secretaries, which will run concurrently with the NEC elections, with nominations closing on 5 March 2009.

Commercial sector review

Progress on the commercial sector review was outlined to the NEC, who also heard that compulsory redundancies were taking a heavy toll on members in the sector. A report on the consequences will be heard at the January NEC, and report on the review prepared for branches in advance of annual delegate conference 2009.

Affiliations

As part of our continuing campaigning work, the NEC agreed to affiliate to the Tax Justice Network and the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning.