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Northern

PCS has approximately 25,000 members working in our region, covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, the Tees Valley and Cumbria.

Members are employed in a diverse range of government departments, such as Defra, Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC.

We represent staff working for the regional development agency ONE NorthEast, and the Public Lending Right.  We have also, recently, secured recognition and bargaining rights for staff in the Independent Safeguarding Authority, a new Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) based in Darlington.

PCS plays a full part in the northern TUC and is represented at all component levels of its regional structure. We have a team of eight delegates to the annual conference, three to the regional committee and also two serving members of the executive committee.

Defend the civil service compensation scheme

Further national strike action set for budget day

The union’s national executive committee (NEC) met on 11 March and agreed to call a further day of national strike action on 24 March. 

PCS is organising meetings in every region to brief branches and reps. A regional briefing has therefore been organised in Newcastle on Tuesday 16 March at the Northern Regional Office.  Each branch in the region is asked to send at least one representative, but no more than two to this meeting. Further details can be found our events page.

Regional action update

The Northern Regional Office would like to thank PCS reps and members for making the industrial action on 8 and 9 March such a huge success. Approximately 80% of members stayed away from work in the region.

In addition, members at Hewlett Packard at Cobalt and Durham House were involved in 2 days of action over pay which was well supported.

Over 200 attended the rally in Newcastle on 8 March with speakers from PCS, TUC, Unison, UCU and CWU fully supporting our campaign on the CSCS and around protecting public services. Media interviews undertaken at the rally included Tyne Tees news.

PCS General Secretary, Mark Serwotka, will also address a TUC organised meeting on Monday 15 March entitled “Speak up for Public Services” alongside other public sector union General Secretaries.

Please send any reports from picket lines to the Northern Regional Office - northern@pcs.org.uk.

Messages of support

“I am writing on behalf of NAPO members in the Northern Region to convey our heartfelt support for all PCS members in the Region as they strike in defence of the terms and conditions on the 8th and 9th March 2010.

The changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme which, if implemented, will have such a devastating impact on the entitlement to pay for staff going through voluntary or compulsory redundancy, are, put simply, unacceptable. Such changes occurring at a time when so many public sector workers are living with the threat of major cuts to services and job insecurity, appears both cynical and opportunistic.

NAPO in the region sends its very best wishes and total solidarity to PCS at this time. Branches in Probation and Cafcass have been advised of this action and will be sending their own messages of support.

Yours in solidarity”

Mike Quinn - NAPO National Vice-Chair/Link Officer to Northern Region

“On behalf of South East Northumberland Trades Union Council and the Northumberland County Association of Trade Union Councils, we would like to send our full support to you and your colleagues in your current dispute.
 
All too often the civil service is seen as an easy target for Government, and so it is important that all workers support you and the valuable work your members do in our communities.
 
We have circulated the information about the lobby at Grey’s Monument to all our colleagues in the Trades Union Councils and asked them to also give you their support.
 
In solidarity”
 
John McCormack - Secretary Northumberland Trades Council
Kathy Taylor – Secretary South East Northumberland Trades Council
 
“Hope you have a good turnout and get the public on your side. My branch is fully behind you and we hope that the NPC/trade union national demo and rally on April 10 will raise the political campaign to defend the welfare state and the public sector, and the jobs and conditions of the dedicated workers in the sector. There has to be an urgent change in political direction to defend our workers conditions as we are all under serious threat, and it is only workers action that will achieve that, hopefully you can be a rallying call for us to unite together to defend ourselves against this rapacious attack on our lives. If we can’t help you then who will be next in line. If the public sector goes down we go back 200 years.”
 
Clive Hudspith – UCU branch secretary
 
Carlisle College Branch of UCU would like to register its support for the action taken by fellow trades unionists in defence of their compensation scheme.

Terry Jones- UCU Carlisle College Branch Secretary
 

Speak up for Public Services

Monday 15 March 2010 – commencing at 12.30pm.

PCS General Secretary, Mark Serwotka will be joining speakers from other public sector unions at this event in Newcastle organised by the NTUC.

Upcoming meetings