We’re standing up for members in the media

In his column for PCS People, Martin writes about PCS's recent presence in the media, including TV, radio and press.

It’s been a mega media month for PCS, thanks mainly to our intervention on the government’s scrapping of the universal Winter Fuel Payment (WFP). Our general secretary, Fran Heathcote, was quick to criticise the move, describing it as “abhorrent political choice”.

Her comments were picked up by the Telegraph and from there it snowballed, with her being quoted in 238 news reports during the course of TUC Congress in Brighton.

She was interviewed by Channel 4, the Financial Times, the Guardian, Channel 5, the Mirror, Left Foot Forward and LBC, as well as the BBC, which broadcast her comments 75 times across national and regional TV and radio.

When Fran was busy in a pre-TUC meeting, I stood in for her and spoke to Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5Live.

According to our media monitoring programme, to pay for that level of coverage in advertising terms would have cost us £4.31m but, in terms of getting our members’ message to the wider public, I think it’s priceless.

Her increased profile at TUC led to further interviews at Labour party conference with the Guardian and Channel 4 News, as well as an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions – each appearance advocating for our members, not just on the winter fuel issue, but on pay, terms and conditions too.

The WFP story created a strange alliance between us and the right-wing media, who were keen to use us to attack the Labour party.

While we wouldn’t – and won’t – play these cynical political games, we have no problem criticising a policy if we think it’s wrong, regardless of who proposes it.

Our campaigns on the four-day week and hybrid working have come under attack from the right-wing media, notably the Telegraph, but our reps at Defra and ONS have refused to tone down their campaign.

Likewise, we won’t shy away from what our members want, just to silence criticism from the right-wing media. As far as I’m concerned it’s not a matter of left or right, but of right and wrong.

Regardless of what the establishment media says, PCS will stand by its members in calling out what’s wrong and standing up for what’s right. And this month’s media presence has proved it.