The importance of the strike fund levy

Toxteth job centre recently took part in PCS's first wave of targeted industrial action over pay, conditions, pensions and job security as part of the national campaign. Andy explains the importance of the strike fund in supporting that action.

I, along with many other PCS members, was able to show solidarity and carry out the strike mandate for a strike that lasted 11 days over the Christmas and New Year period because of the introduction of the strike fund levy.

The levy is vital to the success of PCS's campaign: showing the employer that we have the finances available to take part in targeted, sustained and deliberate industrial action going forward is massive.

The levy allows PCS to take meaningful and prolonged action in places where it will be the most effective, giving the greatest chances of success for our dispute, and Toxteth is a perfect example.

Being able to reassure my members that PCS would support them financially was huge in getting support for 11 days of strike action. 

The country is in a period of financial turmoil, costs are soaring, and supporting industrial action for that long isn't a choice that many of us could make without the funds generated from the levy.

Without the levy, targeted campaigns like ours at Toxteth and other Liverpool sites, DfT, Defra, Border Force and Doncaster wouldn't have been as well received, supported or be the foundation for PCS to build on moving forward.

This is just the beginning. It's going to be a long fight, but sticking together and contributing to the levy is how we'll win.

Thanks to every PCS member who has or will take part in action over the coming months, to everyone contributing to the levy and allowing members to take action that truly matters, and for those of you visiting pickets with tea, coffee, chocolates, dogs, donuts and to keep people's spirits up in pretty awful weather; your support means everything.