Public and Commercial Services Union

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Vote 'yes' to strengthen our political campaigning

11 June 2012

PCS will begin balloting members from 7 June on our political campaign strategy, including whether we should stand or support candidates in national elections. We urge people to vote 'yes'.

As we face the most brutal onslaught of government cuts in living memory, we need more than ever to be able to take our campaigns into the heart of the political process. This is why we are asking members to support the political campaigning strategy we have developed in recent years.

We are also asking members if they agree with the proposal to take our political work a step further and support candidates in national elections in some circumstances where it would assist our campaigning work.

‘Yes’ votes to both questions are vital so that we can step up the fight to defend members' jobs and public services.

Most trade unions in the UK are able to support candidates at election time. We want to make sure we have the same opportunity – in exceptional circumstances – where it would be helpful to promote our members’ interests.

A ‘yes’ vote would not affect our independence, affiliate us to any one particular political party or increase members’ subs.

The proposals follow a motion to our 2009 annual conference which called for us to ballot members. Since then we have run two branch consultations on the question of standing or supporting candidates.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We urge people to vote in the ballot and to support the call for a stronger campaigning strategy by voting ‘yes’ to the proposals.”

The ballot closes on 29 June.

Our political campaign web pages

Watch our video on the political ballot

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