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Sou'wester

Sou'Wester aims to let our members in the south west see whats happening in the region. If you have an article you would like to submit please send it to alisonk@pcs.org.uk

July/August 2011

Maximum Unity to Defend Pensions, Jobs and Services

What a magnificent day June 30 turned out to be. From the early morning’s unlikely surroundings of Radio 4’s “Today” news programme where Francis Maude’s persistent misinformation regarding the “untenability” of public sector pension provision was exposed and disappeared in a puff of smoke, through to the picket line reports of “best supported strike ever” and the tens of thousands across the region who took to the streets in marches and rallies, past the Channel Four News where Jon Snow reported that Mr Maude had “gone to ground” and to end both Government and “Opposition” representatives being booed by the Question Time audience for condemning the strike action – J30 truly changed the whole pensions debate.

So what happens next?

The PCS NEC met in early July and agreed to continue on the course of action that is required. More Unions are coming forward with announcements and plans to ballot for action in the autumn – the National Association of Head Teachers, the Fire Brigades Union, Unite have all indicated they want to be with us the next time.

The teaching Unions involved with us on J30 have all indicated their continuing support for further industrial action. We agreed to continue discussions with all the other Unions, including UNISON and GMB representing local government workers.

The PCS website on 19 July called for maximum unity to build the broadest and most effective action around the simple demand “fair pensions for all”. Whilst the Government’s arguments around affordability have been shattered, they now have moved the goalposts to the question of “fairness” and equality between the public and private sector pensions.

They understand perfectly the importance of creating and maintaining this divide. In fact John Cridland, Director General of the CBI, went further and revealed their real agenda in an article in the Guardian as long ago as 9 February where he said “Conversely, public sector employers make an artificially low contribution to pensions, which are subsidised by the taxpayer. This puts a brake on competition and makes it harder for those in the private sector to bid for public service contracts”. This is nothing more or less than a massive pre-privatisation exercise.

In the coming months we will need to counter these wholesale untruths about public sector pensions being subsidised by the private sector. Work has already started on this with plans to produce a “Fair Pensions for All” alternative to sit alongside our tax justice, PCS Alternative and Welfare Alternative works which have already been widely well received.

The NEC also agreed to produce model motions for Trades Councils and Regional TUCs to help build and maintain the unity in action that was so effectively started on J30. SW NEC members have also written to Labour MPs and the Regional Labour Party calling on them to give public support to our campaign and defend their own government’s Agreement on public sector pensions in 2007-8 which even the Hutton Report acknowledged made the costs sustainable.

In addition to our supporting demonstrations at both the Tory and Lib Dem Party conferences in the autumn, we also agreed to support a lobby of the TUC Conference in September. This is an important initiative called by the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) which is seeking to ensure that the TUC backs calls for united action to defend pensions, jobs and public services – which is consistent with the position of PCS.

This will be critical to remind the Government that the core issues surrounding the pensions negotiations – the change of accrual from RPI to CPI; increased employee contributions; and forcing people to work longer to receive less, have not gone away. There has been no change to the Government’s attitude on these key questions despite claims made by some unions that there has been “progress” in the negotiations. What in fact has happened, as reported on the PCS website, is a move to divide the public sector unions by entering into scheme specific negotiations – civil service, education, health, local government etc.

PCS will obviously participate in any specific discussions around the civil service schemes but we must not lose sight of the core issues and we must continue to prepare for further action with increased numbers of members from other Trade Unions in the autumn to keep up the pressure this government is now under.

A big thank-you from the NEC to all reps and members who worked hard to deliver and support the action on J30. See the impact 800,000 made striking together on that day, and imagine what we could do with several million striking together in the autumn.

Mark Baker, NEC and SW Regional Chair
 

Welcome to Catherine, SW Regional Secretary

My introduction to the South West and the regional office was that I was plunged straight into preparations for 30 June, followed soon after by Tolpuddle. I can’t think of a better way to start a new job because it makes you feel completely involved and not like the new person, skulking in a corner trying to get to grips with everything, and I met so many activists and members.
 
Feedback from branches and activists in the South West indicates that as a region members rallied and the turnout was strong, especially as several smaller branches, which had never previously done so,     decided to mount pickets. 
 
Apart from one irate man on a bike, who delivered heated abuse as I opened the gates of Belmont Park in Exeter early on Thursday morning to enable the stage to be set up for The Alternative festival after the rally and march, generally the public appeared to be very supportive, clapping by the side of the road and congratulating us for “doing something”. Reports are that this was the general reaction and certainly by the end of the day the mood was high.
 
We know that we’re in it for the long haul and the regional office is now assessing where more support may be required, where our strengths and weaknesses lie and how to capitalise on the influx of new members and hopefully new activists. Hard working branches are being asked to update  information and work closely with the Regional Committee, preparing for what may well be required as we move on to the autumn.
 
Tolpuddle was wet, but the atmosphere more than made up for the saturating rain and blustery winds. PCS made its presence felt with a well stocked stall, plentiful supply of information on Tax Justice, Tax   Havens (the recent PCS report) and the alternative vision for Welfare. 
 
We also held a well attended fringe meeting on Tax Justice, Tax Havens and the Robin Hood Tax with excellent speakers – Lorna Merry from the NEC and a Revenue and Customs Assistant Group Secretary, our Deputy General Secretary Hugh Lanning and Sharan (sic) Burrow, General Secretary of the   International TUC – making an often dry subject interesting and thought provoking. 
 
The sun came out for the march and rally on Sunday, which brought to an end two days very satisfactorily, underlined by Len McCluskey, General Secretary of Unite who spoke at the rally, congratulating and praising PCS for its action and the challenge members are making to government.
 
Having worked most recently in PCS’s Revenue and Customs Group and previously having been lead officer on the Culture sector in the London and South East regional office, I am looking forward to working with activists and members in the South West and anticipate meeting many more of you in the coming months.
 
Catherine Craig,SW Regional Secretary

Successfully Learning to be Sustainable

 

The South West Regional Learning Conference ‘Learning to be Sustainable’ was well attended by Union Learning Reps (ULRs) in Exeter on 10th May. The purpose of event was to emphasise the importance of sustaining the excellent work that has been done by ULRs in the region as part of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) and more specifically everything that has been achieved in the Skills for the Future and Cornwall Convergence Projects.

ULRs from across the region came along to network and listen to speakers including David McEvoy (PCS National Learning Officer) who gave an outline of where the PCS learning agenda is going; Mark Baker (PCS National Executive Committee) on how ULRs can get involved in the wider work of the union; and from ULRs June Hurley, Debbie Dixon and Sandra Garner on how to successfully build local learning networks.

Delegates also participated in workshops on how ULRs can work more closely with green reps from South West Unionlearn’s Keith Hatch and how to utilise the recently re-launched Climbing Frame website from Louisa Shaw (Unionlearn Head Office).

Rob Crew, PCS South West Learning Organiser commented “The daywent very well and we believe this event will contribute to continuing to build the ULR network in the South West and continuing to fully support the learning needs of our members”.
 

Reconvened South West AGM

Following a change in our rules we were required to hold an additional annual meeting this year. The meeting was held held on 28 June and regional committee elections were held to determine representatives for the coming year.

The south west regional committee is elected annually. It is made up of lay representatives from groups and branches across the south west region.

Regional committee officers:

  • Mark Baker, chair (DTLR)
  • Mandy Priest, vice chair (DWP)
  • Adrian Probert, vice chair (HMRC)
  • Roger Thomas (DTLR)

Ordinary committee members

  • John Aitken - DWP Dorset
  • Sarah Allen Melvin - HMRC Cornwall, Plymouth & Somerset
  • Richard Capps - DWP Avon
  • Ian Chard - MOD Ensleigh, Bath
  • Gillian Foxton - HEFCE
  • Dave Franklin - Land Registry
  • Claudette Herbert - HMRC Cheltenham Network
  • Paul Kitchener - MoD Yeovilton
  • Bernie Lyons - ETR Bristol and South West
  • Eric Rothery - MOD Gloucester
  • Simon Smith - DWP Gloucester
  • Sue Sugden - Land Registry Weymouth

Delegates to South West TUC:

  • Sarah Allen Melvin
  • Richard Capps
  • Roger Thomas
  • Catherine Craig, Regional Secretary

Save Our Coastguards - Campaigning

Submissions to the consultation, which started in December 2010 to May 2011, on the future of HM Coastguard and proposed changes to be made, elicited a huge amount of responses, not least from the coastguards themselves, many of whom are PCS members. Such was the quality of the responses that the original plans have been revised and modified.

Although the original of number of stations to be kept open and personnel have been increased Brixham and Portland are still to be closed and across the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) staffing levels reduced from 573 to 436. Stations remaining are to provide full 24 hour service.

PCS and the members affected by these proposals welcome the revision of proposals but there still remain serious concerns regarding the future provision of service and safety:

  • the loss of local knowledge, which is of paramount importance
  • loss of experienced staff – it takes years for a fully trained watch officer to attain the qualifications and experience necessary for the work entailed
  • rationalisation of stations still means that there will be too large an area between Humber and Dover, Falmouth and Southampton, Holyhead and Stornoway to cover effectively
  • relocation/redeployment of staff – little detail seems to have been developed on this aspect and there seems to be an assumption that staff will happily move to where a job is, such as from Falmouth to Southampton (where it’s suggested the MOC should be located).
  • the detrimental impact on local communities when jobs are cut
  • safety for those at sea being jeopardised because of response time delays.

The South West regional office has been in contact with PCS reps in Portland and Brixham. The regional secretary and regional organiser have met with a Weymouth/Portland borough councillor to gauge the support and strategy the council is planning and also are meeting Sarah Wollaston, MP, with Brixham branch reps.

In order to ensure that a campaign is co-ordinated across the MCA the SW regional office will be liaising with PCS Campaigns office and the full time negotiations officer.

Updates on the Coastguards campaign will be issued to branches regularly and your support is much needed.
 

Thank you Gordon!

The regional office would like to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to Gordon Rowntree for all his hard work in the region over the past few months. Gordon joined the team in Exeter in early February this year to carry out work on Make Your Vote Count (MYVC), but was then asked to take on the job of Regional Secretary whilst an appointment was made. 
Gordon has now joined the London and South East Regional Office—we wish you all the best in the future!

Organising & Recruitment Training

The region is holding several ‘Organising and Recruiting’ briefings for reps and new activists in September. PCS gives priority to organising because it is only by being well organised that we can win the national campaign and protect our pay, jobs and pensions.

 
Your branch secretary & organiser have details of these events—please contact them to sign up to your local briefing.