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Equality newsletter February 2009

Young members hold inaugural meeting on a memorable day

On the same day as Barack Obama’s inauguration, young members in Wales gathered to discuss ideas, plans and actions to build and strengthen young member activity within their workplaces.

The PCS Wales young members network put together an organising plan that will seek to engage with potential activists and progress the aims and objectives of our young members charter.

Our event took place at the PCS Wales office in Cardiff on the 20th January 2009 with young members reps from DWP, HMRC and NOMs all making positive contributions to the day.

After presenting the key elements of the PCS Wales organising plan to the young members, Jeff Evans, senior national officer for Wales said: “We regard the successful development of our young members network as critical to the future success of PCS Wales.

"We need to appeal more to young workers and the best people to advise us on what needs to be done are our own young members.”

Guest speaker Rob Goddard from Wales TUC outlined initiatives available to attract young workers and students into union activity.

The TUC ‘into schools’ initiative is a key focal point for the TUC’s youth work and a relationship with the National Union of Students means trade union membership is being promoted amongst working students.

Young members’ organiser, Tracy Edwards, urged young members in Wales to learn about the rich and proud history of trade unions and to participate in our national campaigns at a local level.

She raised the idea that young members need to discuss with others the reality of life working as a civil servant and in civil service related areas; and to question what strength we really possess working together as a trade union.

In the afternoon a short session on turning an issue into an effective workplace campaign ignited ideas on building support amongst members. PCS Wales organiser, Alison Burrowes outlined how the process of branch and workplace mapping can be used as a valuable tool to assess where young member activity can be focussed.

This very successful meeting marks the start of regular communication, meetings and training days planned for 2009.

Chris Musgrave from HMRC south east Wales branch was appointed Wales convenor and will chair future meetings of the Network. Chris said “holding this meeting today helped us to identify key areas for us to focus our attentions so that we can develop our campaigning, organising and bargaining objectives for the year ahead.

Wales TUC – youth weekend school

Following on from the success of Wales TUC’s inaugural youth weekend school in 2008, to which a number of PCS young members attended, Wales TUC are pleased to be holding a second youth weekend school from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 March 2009 at the Novotel hotel in Cardiff.

Over the duration of the weekend the focus will be on the work of the Wales TUC Youth Forum and how young people would like to see the forum develop. For further information contact Robert Goddard at rgoddard@tuc.org.uk or Sian Boyles at sianbo@pcs.org.uk

Another first for LGBT in Wales


The Wales TUC is holding its inaugural LGBT conference. The event will be held at the Chapter arts centre, Cardiff on 27 and 28 of February 2009.

There is no limit to the amounts of delegates, and the event is also open to non LGBT people who have an interest in LGBT issues.

A motion from PCS LGBT regarding the special needs of the older LGBT community will be debated.

There will also be a photography competition run during conference and an evening even on Friday 27th. For further information contact Val Kuck at vcuck@tuc.org.uk

PCS disabled members seminar: 13 - 15 March 2009


The seminar will look at the issues facing disabled people within society and the particular challenges for disabled PCS members.

A mixture of speakers’ workshops and discussion group sessions will be spread across the weekend.

The seminar is aimed at disabled members who are newly active or who would like to become mo active in PCS.

Disabled members seminar - find out more.

TUC disability conference 2009.

The TUC disability conference will be held at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London on 20-21 May, 2009.

PCS will be sending a delegation to the conference which will include places for disabled members, who will be selected from among those either self nominating or put forward by branches.

Nominations have to reach the Equalities department no later than 5 pm, Friday 20 February 2009. Further information contact phil@pcs.org.uk  

Wales committee liaison officers

PCS liaison officers for the Wales Equality Fora, providing an important link with the Wales Committee are:

Katrine Williams (WOW) Telephone: 01633 241659
Chris Musgrave (Young Members) Telephone: 02920 324130
John Waters (Disability) Telephone: 01656 765623
Jimmy Gill (LGBT) Telephone: 02920 423109

Age discrimination cases to triple

The number of age discrimination cases going to tribunal has shot up from 962 in 2006 to 2,940 in 2007.

The number of 2008 cases is not yet known. The average payout stands at £8,695 compared to 310,044 for sex discrimination cases and £17,308 for race discrimination cases

It is thought however that many cases are settled beforehand as many employers are nervous about the new law.

Recently Selina Scott received an out of court settlement from Channel 5 estimated at £250,000. She had been lined by for 6 month contract that was then offered to a younger woman.

Heterosexual man wins case re homophobic taunts

A married heterosexual man was driven out of his job by gay taunts at work. His colleagues knew he was not gay but kept calling him names.

He was subject to incessant mockery and homophobic taunts at work. It has now been ruled that he was the victim of sexual harassment on the grounds of sexual orientations.

Islington Council wins employment appeal tribunal case

Over ruling an earlier Tribunal decision the employment appeal tribunal has found in favour of Islington Council in respect of the registrar who refused to officiate at a civil partnership as she believed “homosexuality was contrary to God’s law”. She had made a complaint that she had been discriminated against in respect of her religious beliefs.

PCS Wales pan equality conference

It is hoped to repeat the successful PCS pan equality conference held in 2007.

Plans are being made to organise an event in Cardiff on Thursday 9 July 2009, at Transport House, Cardiff.

Please let us know what equality issues you would like to see included in the conference agenda. Contact: Sian Boyles at sianbo@pcs.org.uk

Dates for the diary

24 February - PCS Wales Disability Forum, Cardiff

25 February - LGBT Forum Meeting, Cardiff

25-27 February - Tackling Discrimination Course, Cardiff

27 April - Global Equality Forum, Philadelphia

9 June, Wales Committee AGM, Cardiff

16 June, WOW Conference, Cardiff

9 July - Pan Equality Conference, Cardiff

14 July - Health and safety forum, Cardiff

5 September - LGBT forum

15 September - Disability forum

17 September - BME forum

22 September    Health and safety forum 

Statutory maternity pay too low say employers

Labour Resarch Department workplace report:

The current statutory minimum maternity pay is too low say over a half of companies in a survey by the incomes Data Services (IDS) pay and employment research organisation.

The survey, which polled 115 organisations collectively employing almost 500,000 people, found 52% saying that statutory maternity pay was not high enough with only one percent saying it is too high. Meanwhile three-quarters (74%) of respondents said they themselves provided more than the statutory minimum.

Since April 2007 all pregnant employees have been entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave regardless of length of service with the employer.

But statutory paid maternity leave is 39 weeks with only the first 6 weeks paid at 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings. The remaining 33 weeks is paid at a rate of £117.18 per week.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber commented that the survey showed that “many companies see the benefits of paying their female staff a decent level of maternity pay.”

But, he added, many women whose employers only pay the statutory minimum would be forced to return to work soon after the birth of their children because that cannot afford to remain off work for long.