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Organising effectively to fight the cuts

31 August 2010

We hear constantly from politicians and the media that public sector cuts are necessary, that we live in an age of austerity where all of us together need to make sacrifices. This goes unchallenged too often in the mainstream press but these cuts will leave communities devastated.

Real alternative to cuts

PCS can prove an alternative to the cuts is viable but how do we practically promote this and gain support for our ideas locally, across unions and in the workplace?

There is no doubt the UK has accumulated massive national debt but this was not caused by public spending. A sharp fall in national income since the financial crisis at the end of 2008 is the main culprit. Income has decreased because of the increase in unemployment and a downturn in economic activity. It makes no sense to cut public sector jobs and privatise vital local services.

Reps and activists will need to keep up to date with the ongoing situation. The comprehensive spending review in October will go even further. Reps will need the correct information and arguments to win others over to our position.

Time to organise

Regional action committees are being set up comprising various lay and full-time officials and NEC liaison officers. Each committee will be responsible for developing and delivering regional action plans on recruitment, organising and campaigning and driving this work out into workplaces and communities, liaising with other public sector trade unions to begin joint working and build stronger cross-union alliances.

Training is currently being produced on building stronger unions in the face of cuts, winning the argument for public services, political lobbying and campaigning, recruiting new members, how to use equality impact assessments to win the argument against cuts and organising in the community.

Organising in a hostile environment

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s trade union membership was in decline. A hostile government, coupled with profound changes in the world of work, meant trade unions struggled to recruit and retain members. In response some unions, including PCS bought into the TUC led New Unionism project, introduced as the “organising model”.

Since its formal inception in 2004, our national organising strategy has comprised new methods of recruiting, campaigning, educating, fostering activist members, and developing community alliances.

Con-Dem policies mean trade unions are again confronted by the challenge of stability, growth and revitalisation.

Planned government attacks on jobs, office closures, relocation and increasing privatisation of the civil service, mean we could be faced with a loss of experienced reps, reduction or loss of paid facility time and access to staff and members within the workplace.

We need to be in a position where we can continue communicating with our members and activists. There has never been a more important time to ensure every branch is well organised, membership is standing at a minimum of 50%+1, all rep positions are filled and members are mobilised for action.

Contact the PCS organising education and legal department on 020 7801 2691.

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