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Informed July 2009

This issue of Informed gives a report of the decisions taken at the NEC meeting held on 14–16 July 2009.

Major consultation on jobs, pay, services and pensions

The NEC considered the organisation of a wide-ranging consultation about the future of our national campaign over pay, job cuts and privatisation.

The consultation will take place at workplace meetings and will ask members for
their views about the future of the national campaign.

The consultation follows a resolution at our annual conference that we would seek members’ views before making any decision on the way forward.

We will be also be consulting members on the civil service compensation scheme as negotiations are now in their final phase.

On pay, we will be discussing our response to the government’s failure to honour the agreement we reached last year. As well as addressing the fundamental issue of low pay and real terms pay cuts, we will ask members for their views on the need for a return to national pay bargaining.

And with the Tories and Labour fighting over who would cut more public spending from next year, it is clear we are facing some major challenges to protect not just pay, but jobs, pensions, conditions and public services.

Defending the civil service compensation scheme

The NEC heard an update from negotiators regarding the civil service compensation scheme. The government wants to make detrimental changes that could abolish early retirement and cut severance payments.

PCS has made clear this is unacceptable. A special NEC will be convened as soon as any formal proposal is made by the Cabinet Office. Members will be balloted on any changes.

PCS at the TUC

The NEC agreed to submit motions to TUC Congress 2009. The first deals with the economic crisis and demands urgent government action to protect jobs.

It demands protection of public services, and an end to privatisation, an end to tax evasion by large companies and the wealthy, no wage cutting or public sector pay freeze and action to protect occupational pensions.

PCS will continue to take a lead in challenging the hysterical media campaign demanding cuts which would destroy our public services.

A further motion deals with the increased threat from the far right BNP and calls for an extension of existing bans on the employment of members of fascist organisations in the public services.

PCS has successfully pressed the TUC to organise a public demonstration against the BNP to coincide with congress in Liverpool in September.

Victimisation of union reps

The NEC agreed to work jointly with the Institute of Employment Rights to protect our reps from disciplinary action for undertaking their elected duties on behalf of members.

An event will be organised jointly with other unions and IER in the autumn and new guidance for reps, based on expert legal opinion, will be available by PCS conference 2010.

Demonstrate at Labour’s conference

The education union UCU has called a national demonstration over the protection of jobs and services at the Labour Party conference in Brighton on 27 September and asked other unions to support it.

PCS has policy to build and strengthen links with other trade unions and campaign groups to defend public services and jobs, and the NEC agreed to support the demonstration and publicise it to our branches.

 

In brief

Unite Against Fascism

A delegation from PCS joined other trade unionists and public figures at the conference of Unite Against Fascism, held recently in Manchester, with a record attendance.

Delegates were able to report on the contribution to anti-fascist campaigning made by the PCS Make Your Vote Count campaign.

Membership levels

PCS membership is stable at just under 300,000, representing an increased membership density in a reduced overall workforce.

The national organising strategy is in place so that the union can prioritise recruitment and boost recruiting activity in specific key areas such as DWP where potential membership has turned upwards with increased recruitment of staff by Jobcentre Plus.

Annual conference 2009

The NEC agreed a programme of work to implement all the motions carried at our annual conference.

Conference is the policy making body of PCS and deals with motions from branches and the national executive committee on a wide range of issues including pay, pensions, working conditions, protecting public services, health and safety and equality.

The NEC will receive reports on the implementation of the motions at future meetings.