Scottish activist winter 2011 issue 24
In print and online, Scottish Activist is a quarterly resource for activists in Scotland to help us organise, campaign and represent our members effectively.
If you are an active member of our union in Scotland – as a distributor of PCS mail, a workplace rep, a national executive member, or in any other capacity – you should receive a copy.
Got a story?
To share your stories about campaigning and organising in the workplace in Scotland, or to suggest ideas for articles, contact:
Joy Dunn, Scottish Activist editor
Tel: 0131 556 0407
email: joy@pcs.org.uk
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Scottish activist - Winter 2011
Latest articles
- Lynn Henderson, PCS Scottish secretary writes - Scotland’s public service workers united on pensions
- General secretary delivers eve of strike rally call
- Progressing the women’s network in Scotland
- PCS takes the chair of STUC disabled workers’conference
- N30 Scottish pickets
- Scots LGBT Welsh takeover
- Learning conference 2012
- PCS at SNP conference
- Campaigning against job centre closures
- STUC women’s conference, Glasgow
- Scottish Women’s Aid turns 35
Lynn Henderson, PCS Scottish secretary writes
Scotland’s public service workers united on pensions
N30 will go down in the history of our movement as a day when public sector workers came together in a national strike with one united voice in opposition to the government’s attack on the pensions of workers today and those of future generations of workers.
More than 28,000 PCS civil service members in Scotland led the way in our strike action on 30 June, co-ordinated with teachers south of the border, but standing alone in Scotland.
Last month, we stood on picket lines with the other civil service unions and marched through our cities and towns with every other public service union in this dispute.
From Shetland to Dumfries, 300,000 Scottish public sector workers, as part of three million UK-wide, sent a message to Francis Maude and Danny Alexander that they will not be forced to work longer,pay more and get less at the end of their working lives.
In Inverness we marched past Danny Alexander’s constituency office to remind him of the anger of that he has caused among a population where less than 27% voted for him.
In Edinburgh, the 10,000 people marching on Holyrood gave vigour to
pickets as SNP, Lib Dems ad Tories crossed our picket lines.
PCS welcomed the support of Labour and Green MSPs to stand with workers on picket lines in their constituencies – support that sadly wasn’t reflected by Labour MPs in Westminster.
In Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and towns around the country tens of thousands of ordinary striking workers took part in unity marches and mass rallies.
Our national negotiators are now back in talks fortified with the support of three million strikers. We now have a national overtime ban until the end of the year. Our NEC has called for the TUC to co-ordinate a further one day action before the end of March.
The December meeting of the NEC is planning the next steps.
Have a restful Christmas and new year but keep your placards, picket vests, flags, whistles and ponchos to hand for escalated action in 2012.
The unity and solidarity around Scotland and the UK, shows that together the trade union movement can stand up to the government and together we can win.
General secretary delivers eve of strike rally call
On the eve of the biggest public strike in decades our general secretary, Mark Serwotka addressed a packed out meeting of members in the Department for International Development in East Kilbride.
He then headed to Glasgow to headline at a huge public meeting at the Renfield Centre where he was joined on the platform by Scottish leaders of Unite, Unison and EIS.
The meeting was chaired by Cheryl Gedling, PCS NEC member.
Mark said: “Scotland has always been a PCS stronghold. I am proud of the work that PCS activists deliver everyday on behalf of our Scottish members.
On Wednesday we will see the biggest strike across the public sector in decades and it will be a demonstration of unity across the Scottish trade union movement that we are all standing together, united in the struggle for Fair Pensions for All.”
He went on to say that “We will not stand by and watch the government, filled with a cabinet of millionaires, try to raid our members’ pensions to pay for a financial crisis that they did not create.
The strike will not only see over 20 unions and more than two million workers take to the streets but we will also be joined by hundreds of thousands of pensioners and representatives from the wider community who will also be demonstrating with the aim of securing decent and fair pensions for all which from all the evidence is affordable in the sixth largest economy in the world.”
Progressing the women’s network in Scotland
Following on from the 2010 inaugural PCS Scotland women’s event, a follow up seminar was held this autumn in the Caird Hall, Dundee and was very well received by delegates.
This year’s seminar was chaired by Sharon Edwards (Scotland committee
vice chair) and Cheryl Gedling (NEC) with inspiring guest speakers: Janice Godrich, PCS president; Phyllis Opoku-Gyimah, PCS head of equality and health and safety; Alisa McKay, professor of economics at Glasgow Caledonian university and Tracey White, PCS Scottish Parliament branch.
The theme of the seminar was campaigning and influencing, with
workshops on:
- The women’s network in Scotland
- Increasing our influence – women in the union and in public life
- Getting involved – making sure the PCS agenda is our agenda
The main aim of the 2011 women’s network seminar was to progress the
establishment of the PCS Scotland women’s network.
With the information gathered during the 2011 and 2010 seminars, a recommendation will be put to the Scotland committee meeting in December to provide a way forward for the network.
The next steps will be to set up a smaller group of women from branches and groups across Scotland to run the network between annual seminars.
We received excellent feedback from delegates on the day including:
“Inspirational speakers”; “confidence building”; “empowering and
invigorating”; “unifying and positive”; “encouraging” and “refreshing”.
Thank you to the all guest speakers and delegates for their valuable participation on the day.
PCS takes the chair of STUC disabled workers’conference
The 2011 STUC disabled workers’ conference was held in Dundee on
November 18 and 19.
PCS was represented by Barbra Farmer, Gary Dow and Colin Paterson. The
conference discussed a wide range of motions covering issues which affect
disabled people at work and in society in general.
The UK government’s attacks on public services is having a disproportionate effect on the disabled as can be seen with cuts in benefits, the Welfare Reform Bill and the attacks on Disability Living Allowance.
So it was no surprise that the campaign for an alternative to the cuts was the main theme of the conference and the debates which took place.
PCS presented two motions advocating our alternatives for the economy and the welfare state, and an emergency motion calling for ATOS Origin to refund payments where appeals against removal of Employment Support Allowance succeed.
A number of keynote speakers addressed the conference including STUC president Mike Kirby and general secretary Grahame Smith along with Wendy Burton from Scottish Union Learning who gave a talk on dyslexia and its impacts.
It is a great honour that PCS HMRC rep Barbra Farmer was re-elected to the STUC disabled workers committee and will serve as chair for the year ahead.
Our delegates distributed the PCS pamphlet “Welfare: an alternative vision” which was very well received.
Gary Dow, attending his first conference said: “It was certainly enlightening and gave me even more impetus to carry on the fight for the rights of those with disabilities both in the workplace and in society in general.
N30 Scottish pickets
PCS Scotland was overwhelmed by the reports from picket lines across Scotland on 30 November –
Edinburgh
In the Scottish government picket lines were strongly supported by activists as well as PCS members who had never picketed before.
FDA and Prospect members joined the lines with enthusiasm and at Victoria Quay in Leith and St Andrew’s House.
All three civil service unions recruited new members on the picket lines, building on the excellent recruitment seen in the days running up to the strike.
Scottish government pickets also gave Alex Salmond an early morning visit at Bute House but he did not make himself available for comment.
Lines were strong too from SPPA in Galashiels to Marine Scotland in Fraserburgh and Ayr where offices were closed.
PCS member Murray Meikle from Scottish government central branch said: “I was proud to take part in the Edinburgh march. It was so uplifting to
see so many people demanding pensions justice, including work colleagues who had never taken part in a strike before, never mind a march.
A clear message was sent from Edinburgh and other towns and cities across the UK to the government – we didn’t create the deficit and we’re not letting you rob our pensions to pay for the bankers’ mess. And there are more of us than you”.
Glasgow
PCS young members Cat Boyd and Louise Hollingsworth reflected on a great day.
Cat: There had been a massive build-up to the 30 November day of action across Glasgow.
Reports of trade union branches holding big car park meetings, comments from members who’d never taken strike action before were beyond enthusiastic and groups like Right to Work and Coalition of Resistance building through student, activist and community networks,
gave the feeling that this wasn’t just a day of industrial action against pension changes – but a day of real resistance.
On 28 November Mark Serwotka spoke to a packed room to rapturous applause, as he congratulated the show of strength across the trade union movement.
On the morning of action, the picket lines across the city were huge. At my own workplace in the city centre, we had members joining us on the picket line, who had never done so before. We had drums and chanting, ome-made banners and placards.
With over a 90% turnout on the day – we knew we’d got our message across – We won’t pay for the banker’s mess – We are the PCS.
As we chanted this slogan, we were joined by a huge open-top bus of activists from the Glasgow Coalition of Resistance, who descended on our picket lines with tea, coffee and rolls for the strikers.
The morale boost and uplifting atmosphere was incredible, and I don’t think we thought the day could get any better.
But we hadn’t considered the magnitude of this day of action – we were
joined at 11am by comrades from Stow College – EIS and Unison members, and we marched through the streets, visiting various other workplaces as they wrapped up their pickets.
We were then joined by students, UCU and Unite members and marched in solidarity to the rally point.
Having been at other demonstrations and protest events, I thought I’d seen huge marches – but this was like no other I’d been to. As nearly 30,000 people marched through the city of Glasgow cars, buses, lorries that passed us tooted their horns in support; members of the public who were out Christmas shopping lined the streets of the city applauding the march, and shouting messages of support.
As we got towards the rally venue I’m sure I speak for every single person on the demonstration, that the size, scale, energy and vibrancy of vast number of trade unionists, marching together was absolutely overwhelming.
As we crammed into a packed Barrowlands – the atmosphere became more and more electric. The crowd was excited and motivated because everyone in that room knew that the strike was justified.
The turnout was so immense, that thousands of people gathered outside, while others went to the venue which had been organised for overspill.
An unprecedented amount of people had come to the march and rally to stand up, stand together and tell the government that we will not pay for a crisis of the rich with our hard-earned right to a decent pension.
Louise
PCS young members network and Glasgow City Unison held a Strike
Solidarity social – open to all supporters and those involved in the day.
The social event was well attended by a variety of different trade unionists; we had contributions from ordinary, rank-and-file members, workers who’d been on the picket lines that morning; and also contributions from Right to Work, Defend Glasgow Services and Youth fight for Jobs campaigns.
The DJs played a mix of music and the atmosphere allowed fellow activists to mix with each other, share their experiences and talk about where the
movement is going next.
The solidarity was shown in action when young members committee managed to get attendees of the social to dig deep even in these hard financial and economical times and raised £100 for the young member’s hardship fund.
The level of participation across all sections of the city on Wednesday was extraordinary. And it made every worker feel extraordinary.
Our confidence has soared; we know that this is a fight we can win; and as long as we continue to stand together in solidarity, we will win.
Aberdeen
Overview from Scottish courts and Aberdeen on N30 by Brian Carroll.
In Scottish Courts Service, the strike was better supported than 30 June which was our aim.
We recruited 50 new members in addition to the 40 we recruited in the run- up to J30. We had members on strike who had never been on strike before, we had members on picket lines who hadn’t picketed before, we had picket lines in place from Aberdeen to Hamilton and numerous points in between, including Supremes and HQ.
Picket lines were in existence where they hadn’t been before at Falkirk, Haddington, Livingston and Stonehaven.
We had members and reps the length and breadth of the country speaking to press and being interviewed by TV; we had members attending marches and rallies where they were held all over the country from Inverness to Dumfries in addition to those taking place in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In Aberdeen the public spoke to us giving us support; cars, buses, vans and lorries all tooted in support as they passed the picket line.
We were visited by members from the CWU and FBU, we were visited again by UK Uncut, giving us tea, rowies and sandwiches which they had made and bought all themselves.
We were visited by PCS NEC member, John Jamieson who visited a number of picket lines in and around Aberdeen and we were also visited by Richard Baker MSP showing his support for our cause and I am sure this was replicated up and down and across the country within this branch and elsewhere.
Dundee
The atmosphere in Dundee was amazing. We had over 10,000 people on the square and strikers were joined from all parts of the community including students, pensioners, the trades council and anti cuts groups. Hamish Drummond, PCS HMRC and Dundee Trades Council said:
“We’ve been delighted by the number of PCS members who’ve turned up to picket. Not just local reps but ordinary members who are furious at what the government is doing.
It was great to see so many unions and other groups on the march in Dundee. There was a real feeling of solidarity and a belief that if we stand together we are strong and we can make the politicians listen.
” PCS NEC member Derek Thomson received rousing applause at the rally when he called for an escalation of the action.
Inverness
The PCS pickets were hugely bolstered by the other trade unionists joining in this action. Thousands marched through the city and it became particularly animated when we passed local MP Danny Alexander’s constituency office.
Reporting from Inverness, Sam Hall PCS NEC member said “We have had a fantastic show of strength today – members are rightly angry about the cash-grab on pensions and that anger has been reflected in the turnout today.
Our picket lines have been brilliant. I’m confident we’ll see growing numbers joining us for any future action.”
PCS at SNP conference
PCS made a significant intervention in the SNP conference held recently in Inverness.
NEC members Alan Brown, Cheryl Gedling, Sam Hall, Derek Thomson and PCS staff member Scot MacQueen staffed the PCS stall inside the conference hall.
Our stall was by far the most visited and delegates were noticeably interested in our “Alternative” campaign and the fight to save our coast guard services.
On Friday night, Cheryl Gedling was a key speaker at the SNP trade union group fringe meeting, addressing a packed hall on the pensions dispute and our “Alternative” campaign.
It was testament to both Cheryl’s contribution and the work of PCS that almost all questions were focused on our dispute and delegates were fully supportive of our position.
On Saturday, PCS members lobbied conference delegates on the pensions
dispute and other issues. This was a vibrant event and delegates took the time to listen to our issues and take our literature.
The importance of our political work cannot be underestimated and engagement with MPs and MSPs is vital.
PCS Scotland will continue to work with our parliamentary group and engage in events such as party conferences where our intervention can be beneficial to the interests of our members.
Keep checking the regular campaigns update issued by our parliamentary officer, Joy Dunn for upcoming events.
Campaigning against job centre closures
PCS have stepped up the campaign against the closure of three Glasgow
Jobcentres. Ministers announced recently that Shawlands, Hillington and Glasgow City Jobcentres are scheduled for closure in 2012.
PCS are totally opposed to these closures: unemployment is rocketing
across Scotland and youth unemployment has reached record levels. It is total madness to shut Jobcentres at a time when they are most needed in local communities.
Jobcentres represent good value for the taxpayer and successive ministers have conceded that jobcentre staff help move the unemployed back into work quicker than would otherwise be expected. This generates huge savings for the taxpayer.
The campaign is gathering strength, all four Labour leadership candidates have expressed support and local Labour and SNP MPs and MSPs and councillors have done likewise. The SSP has also expressed their support.
Further activities are planned over the next few weeks and PCS are determined to do all we can to ensure these jobcentres that are a vital part of local communities are protected.
Scots LGBT Welsh takeover
The PCS lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) seminar took place over the first weekend in November at the PCS office in Cardiff with the largest ever Scottish contingent of 20 delegates.
All the key themes were brought into the agenda including the impact on cuts for LGBT members, international issues and equal marriage. Even the social events reflected high profile campaigns, in particular LGBT people in sports.
Speakers came from far and wide and included general secretary Mark
Serwotka who was delighted to address members in his hometown of Cardiff.
Gordon Thomson, PCS Scotland Proud rep, said: “To have such a big and
enthusiastic group from Scotland at the seminar shows how the LGBT profile has been raised in the last year.
I look forward to us working as a team in taking forward LGBT issues in Scotland.”
Debbie Baird, Equality rep from HMRC Edinburgh said: “it’s great that there is such a strong voice in Scotland. I think we all left feeling really positive and enthused.”
The Scottish government consultation on equal marriage has been a main
driver in the work of our LGBT network recently. PCS has now submitted a
response in favour of this important step towards equality.
“It’s great that there is such a strong voice in Scotland”
STUC women’s conference, Glasgow
PCS were represented at this year’s conference in Glasgow by Cheryl Gedling, Fiona MacDonald, Isabel Drummond-Murray, Ruth Henderson, Sharon Edwards and Louise Hollingsworth.
We had a stall at the conference for the first time where delegates took away a lot of PCS materials the most popular being the “Fair pensions for all pamphlet” which was launched in Glasgow on 14 November immediately after the first day of business.
On the first morning of conference Fiona MacDonald moved the PCS motion on welfare reform and again highlighted the PCS booklet “Welfare – An Alternative Vision”.
On Tuesday morning Sharon Edwards spoke on the composite motion on “Women and pensions” and drew delegate’s particular attention to the action on 30 November.
Later the same morning Cheryl Gedling moved the motion on abortion rights.
Learning conference 2012
The PCS Scotland learning conference will take place on Thursday, 16 February at Renfield Halls in Glasgow. The theme this year will be equality, supporting all our members to get back to learning.
President Janice Godrich has already confirmed as our main guest speaker and we are working hard on putting together a programme to make sure that this conference continues to be the key annual event for PCS learning reps in Scotland.
Applications will be accepted from 16 January with more details of the
agenda to follow.
For help in recruiting and supporting learning representatives and other
learning activity, please contact Kevin McIver, PCS Scotland Learning Organiser at the PCS Glasgow office – kevin.mciver@pcs.org.uk
Scottish Women’s Aid turns 35
PCS opposes all domestic abuse and has campaigned for greater funding and publicity for the issue, as well as pushing for effective workplace policies as we know domestic abuse affects our members in the workplace as well as in the home and in their daily lives.
In its 35th anniversary year we asked Scottish Women’s Aid to reflect on its history and achievements.
Scottish Women’s Aid was established in 1976 to give a national campaigning presence to the Women’s Aid refuges which were quickly springing up around the country.
Is 35 years in operation a cause for celebration or commiseration? Well, as an organisation concerned with eradicating domestic abuse from our society, ideally there would be no need for us.
However, we know that thousands of women in Scotland still live with abuse on a daily basis, and we exist to ensure those women are supported and their voices heard.
Our network has now grown to 38 affiliated groups, with Borders the most recent addition.
The evolution of the Women’s Aid movement has been significant. Most
people mainly associate Women’s Aid with refuges and while providing a safe space for women and children escaping domestic abuse is a vital part of what we do – it is only one part of a comprehensive range of services.
These services include information and support, legal advice and
advocacy, counselling, outreach, one to one and group work with children and young people, housing and benefits advice.
At national level, our campaigning, lobbying and partnership work has been instrumental in bringing about changes to policy and legislation and the way in which violence against women is viewed and addressed in Scotland.
We are proud of the strong voice and recognition we have achieved at a public and political level. It means we can represent the voices of women and children in Scotland suffering domestic abuse, highlight the seriousness of the issue, and work even more effectively to bring about its end.
So, we are celebrating 35 years of working to end violence against women. Three and a half decades of campaigning for changes in the law, pushing for improvements in policy and practice responses to domestic abuse and in attitudes towards women and their place in Scottish society; a lot has been achieved, but we are also taking this time to reflect on what has still to be done.
Despite the developing understanding of the issue of domestic abuse and the broadening of services beyond just refuge-focused provision, Women’s Aid services remained under-funded.
Lobbying and awareness-raising on this was central to the work that was undertaken in the 1990s. A dedicated funding stream for domestic abuse work was seen as vital to enable the unique and essential service carried out by women’s Aid groups to continue.
This dedicated fund was finally realised with the establishment of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund.
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