Play your part in the democratic life of PCS
In her latest Activate column, Fran explains why she’s pressing the Cabinet Office to end arbitrary office attendance targets, reflects on the recent Together Alliance march in London, and encourages members to vote in the NEC elections.
On 28 March, around half a million people marched through central London against the far right in the largest anti-racist demonstration in UK history. As one of our Black reps said, “It was a great show of solidarity, unity and hope.”
I was proud to be there with the massive PCS presence, part of the wider trade union contingent on the demo. The Together Alliance includes trade unions, community groups, anti-racist organisations and more.
For trade unionists, defeating racism and division is more than a moral duty, it is a practical necessity. We only win in the workplace when we unite working class people.
It’s no coincidence that politicians and political parties that whip up division in working class communities are also anti-union, and corporate-funded.
In Scotland, Wales and many parts of England, there are important elections on 7 May.
There are also important elections taking place within our union for the national executive committee and for your group executive. Please look out for the ballot papers arriving on your doormat.
These are really important elections for the future direction of our union, so use your vote wisely. We want you to play your part in the democratic life of PCS and elect a strong leadership, so it is important to read what the candidates have to say and vote for candidates that most closely represent your interests and beliefs.
The coming months are going to be really important for our union, as the economy and household finances are impacted by Donald Trump’s disastrous attack on Iran.
Already many people have felt the impact of increased petrol or diesel prices, and in the coming months energy bills and food prices are forecast to rise too.
Many countries are already experiencing fuel shortages, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) has written to governments advising them to take measures to reduce energy use.
One of the IEA’s suggestions was to encourage working from home, to reduce car use. In light of this, I have again pressed the case with the Cabinet Office to reduce the mandatory 60% office attendance target.
The Office for National Statistics has recognised this by scrapping individual office attendance targets. Our members there fought a long campaign of industrial action, including four ballots for statutory action, and they won.
This is a landmark victory for our members and shows what can be achieved when workers stand together.
We are expecting pay remit guidance by the end of April, which will set the scope for pay settlements for civil service members. We know that cost-of-living pressures continue to impact members’ finances, and have been making regular representations to the government in our negotiations.