Public and Commercial Services Union

Response to the budget

The NEC received a report on the budget delivered by the chancellor on April 22. The budget had raised fresh challenges for members already facing difficulties at a time of economic crisis.

Announcements were made on £15 billion “efficiency savings” as well as deep cuts in public spending. In response to threats of privatisation or outsourcing a one day forum is to be organised for PCS activists in the affected areas on 11 June.

Branch delegates will debate the union’s response to the current economic crisis and the budget at our annual national conference and group conferences in a few weeks time.

It is clear that we must organise now to defend members. Additionally, we will need to be well organised to defend members’ jobs and the services we provide from a serious attack on public spending in the run up to, and after, the next general election.

Recently, sections of the media and some politicians have been trying once again to create divisions between the public and private sectors with myths about job security, pay and pensions in the civil and public services.

This is a clear attempt to blame public sector workers for the economic crisis and to legitimise the ongoing cuts and privatisations which we oppose. A briefing has been issued to branch reps in rebuttal of some of these myths. It can be used in the workplace, in branch newsletters and in dealing with the media.

Pay

The NEC considered a report on the discussions taking place with management in all civil service departments and other employers on making more money available for pay from efficiency savings.

Last year, following a national campaign and ballot on action, PCS secured a change in the treasury’s policy which meant that extra money from efficiency savings could be used to improve pay.

The government also said that there would not now be a 2% cap.
The NEC had decided that the agreement with ministers would need to be tested in pay bargaining in individual departments and linked bodies.

As the situation was not yet clear, it was agreed that a special meeting was needed on May 14 to consider progress prior to a debate at conference.

The NEC expects the government to honour the agreement reached last year and the union continues to apply pressure to that end.

Annual delegate conference

Pay, protecting public services from privatisation, the economic crisis and political representation are all areas which will be debated at the union’s annual delegate conference to be held 20 – 22 May.

The NEC discussed motions on the conference agenda, arrangements for conference including fringe meetings, emergency motions and guest speakers.

This is the first year that branches have been able to submit motions electronically.

Civil Service Compensation Scheme

The NEC heard that talks with the Cabinet Office on the Civil Service
Compensation Scheme have continued and that there would be a debate at conference.

It was agreed an emergency motion to annual delegate conference would be submitted, based on the policy to protect accrued rights and including the options, if necessary, of legal and industrial action.

Make Your Vote Count

The NEC heard a report on campaigning around the local and European elections on June 4. The Make Your Vote Count campaign allows us to challenge election candidates in writing, and in person at question time meetings, to state their position on the issues affecting PCS members such as pay, jobs and privatisation.

We publish the answers to help members make up their minds on who to vote for, although we do not recommend any party or candidate. The NEC heard that there are now 330 branch coordinators in place covering this work.

The NEC discussed the need for the Make Your Vote Count campaign to also focus on opposition to the BNP and other fascist organisations which are standing in the European elections on June 4.

G20

The NEC received a report that several hundred PCS members and the new PCS banner had joined the Put People First demonstration on 28 March 2009 at the G20 meeting.

The NEC heard that, ahead of the demonstration, PCS and War on Want had held a joint meeting in parliament about tax justice that had been well attended.

Speakers had included Richard Murphy from the tax justice network and John McDonnell MP, chair of the PCS parliamentary group.

Richard Murphy came up with a seven point plan of what the prime minister should do to properly address the issue of inequities in the tax system including properly resourcing HMRC to combat tax evasion and claw back the £25 billion in uncollected taxes.

Solidarity with the National Union of Journalists

The NEC considered a request for a donation in support of striking NUJ members in Leeds who had taken 14 days of strike action to defend against compulsory redundancies.

A further 15 days of action are planned in the coming month. Other NUJ members had been struggling against redundancies in Scotland.

The NEC heard that this was a key dispute for the NUJ and that although support had already been given to the strikers from the local community and other unions, more support was needed financially in order to sustain the campaign.

The NEC agreed to send a message of support and a donation.

Green issues

PCS, CWU, NUT, UCU and the Climate Outreach Information Network, have submitted a joint funding application to Defra’s “Greener living fund” for a project on “Climate solidarity”.

The NEC were pleased to hear that the bid has been shortlisted in an initial round of over 100 applications.

Equal pay cases

The NEC were updated on the timetable over key equal pay cases in the Department for Transport.

These cases will be heard over the next 12 weeks with a decision expected towards the end of the year.