Public and Commercial Services Union

Political campaigning - Consultation with branches on ADC 2009 motion A72

23 December 2009

Annual Delegate Conference 2009 carried motion A72 on political campaigning. The National executive committee (NEC) was instructed to consult branches on the question of supporting trade union candidates in elections, and on the question of PCS candidates standing in elections, and then report to ADC 2010. This page sets out the issues and asks branches to respond to the consultation.

Motion A72 noted that we had raised our campaigning issues with thousands of candidates in local and national elections through the Make Your Vote Count campaign. Conference went on to recognise the need to develop this approach further, particularly within the context of economic crisis and likely public spending cuts.

The proposal, set out in the motion, is whether we take the fight to defend members’ interests into the political arena by means of direct challenges to politicians who support attacks on public services and workers’ terms and conditions. This would be an extension of our existing campaigning work. The aim would be to make a difference for members, adding to the impact of our campaigns.

This is an important question and branches are urged to ensure it is discussed as widely as possible and then to answer the consultation questions. The responses will be used to inform a motion to ADC 2010 from the NEC. Any decisions taken by conference would be then put to the whole membership in a national ballot.

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A. Under what circumstances would we stand or support candidates?

There are three main, broad considerations.

First, the circumstances under which we might stand or support a candidate are not ones which we would seek to manufacture, but are ones which on balance may seem to offer us an opportunity to take forward a particular campaign.

Secondly, we would stand or support a trade union candidate because none of the other candidates would support our campaigning aims over cuts, privatisation or other government policies.

Thirdly, we would look at national rather than local elections, i.e. a Westminster Parliament, European Parliament, Scottish Parliament or Welsh Assembly election. This would allow maximum publicity and resources to be focused on the campaign,
particularly if it was a by-election.

B. Will the union stand in national elections in every constituency?

No. We do not envisage PCS standing or supporting candidates across the board, or regardless of the views of other candidates in a particular constituency. Our aim would be, as it is with our existing political work, to raise the profile of our campaigns over PCS members’ jobs, pay and public services and put pressure on politicians.

C. Would Make Your Vote Count continue?

Yes. MYVC has been a successful campaign and will continue to be the major element of our political campaigning, particularly in the 2010 General Election. Standing or supporting candidates would be a limited tactic to be adopted at later elections, a targeted weapon
used under certain circumstances where there would be a direct benefit to a campaign or bargaining issue.

D. Would PCS support any political parties?

No. Our strength is based on an inclusive, member-led approach that continues to value our independence above all else. It is that which unites us. It was on that basis that members voted for the setting up of a Political Fund in 2005. Candidates would only be supported as
trade unionists campaigning against cuts in jobs, services and working conditions.

Would standing or supporting candidates mean union subscriptions would go up?

No. The costs would be met from our existing Political Fund.

E. What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

As stated above, we would look at standing or supporting candidates in national elections. These could include elections to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. In some of these elections proportional representation is used instead of the ‘first past the post’ voting used in Westminster elections and we would need to consider that in making decisions on when to stand.

Questions for branches

We are asking branches for their views on the principle of standing trade union candidates in elections. Such a tactic would be added to our armoury of campaigning weapons that we could use, when the circumstances were right, to advance that campaigning work.

Please send us your answers to the following questions:

1. Do you agree with the proposal that, to extend our campaigning over jobs, pay and public services, the union should consider supporting or standing trade union candidates in elections?

2. If yes, under what circumstances do you believe we should do so?

Please discuss the issues in your Branch. Then answer the consultation questions and respond via email to: A72consultation@pcs.org.uk (but please ensure you are responding directly to the questions above)

Or you can respond by post to:

A72 Consultation
General Secretary’s Office
PCS
160 Falcon Road
London SW11 2LN

The deadline for receipt of responses is Tuesday 23 February 2010.

  Political campaigning - Consultation with branches on ADC 2009 motion A72

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