Activate: Getting the vote out in the DWP ballot
DWP activists are having one-to-one conversations, organising regular meetings, calling members on the Movement platform, and making use of social media, leafleting, and briefings to maximise member engagement.
After PCS members in the DWP voted in a consultative ballot last year to say they were willing to take action to secure a better pay deal, the union moved to a statutory strike ballot, which is now underway and will run until 23 February 2026.
For Pete, a regional organiser in the west midlands, the consultative ballot showed that there is a “burning resentment that we were once again disregarded, and this time by a Labour government.”
A huge organising effort at the DWP has brought the department from a successful consultative ballot to the precipice of a huge vote for strike action.
As DWP group president Angela Grant points out: "PCS in DWP is a hive of activity right now, with our reps pulling out all the stops to ensure every member has their say.” But how did we get here?
Lorna, branch chair of DWP Fylde and DWP assistant group secretary, tells Activate that workplace mapping has helped to build branch organisation.
She has placed a particular focus on “building relationships, identifying activists, and making sure every member understands why their vote matters.” Consistent, face-to-face conversations – backed up, of course, by digital comms and PCS posters/leaflets in communal areas – remain effective organising tools in many DWP workplaces.
Lorna finds that people respond well to “clear, urgent, and personal messages.” Some examples include: “Your vote is your voice – don’t leave it to others” and “Update your details today so you can take part in decisions that affect your pay and conditions.”
Recruiting new members
Over the coming weeks, Lorna is aiming to keep the momentum up by reminding members of ballot deadlines, remaining visible in workplaces (stalls, posters, outside leafleting), holding conversations with members who haven’t voted, and recruiting as many new members as possible.
Recruitment will be central to success in the ballot. After all, any new member who joins PCS before 10am on 3 February will automatically be included in the ballot.
One branch in Pete’s region saw a 30% growth in membership over the last year. In his view, this was “the result of regular visible stalls and activities, as well as a lively newsletter.”
In Lorna’s case, she has three key tips for recruitment that are relevant to any PCS activist:
Always have the membership sign-up link to hand to make joining seem easy
Follow up after meetings or stalls; and
Share real wins (“as people join when they see results”).
Sometimes, activists need to be creative about how they engage with members. In one office where there is a safety issue at the staff entrance, Pete is helping to organise a lunchtime car park meeting.
The branches in Pete’s region with the best turnout in the consultative ballot were those who had the most one-to-one contact with members. Always “armed with freebies as this helps brand the office as a PCS workplace,” he has visited numerous workplaces for drop-in sessions, where he has recruited lots of new members and reps.
Get members 'agitated and excited'
Angie, a regional organiser based in the DWP Tyneside and Northumbria branch, believes that a regularly updated branch Facebook page, a newly launched WhatsApp channel, routine leafleting, and regular one-to-one conversations are helping to get the vote out.
Giving the example of the recent Dickens-themed leaflets (which “were a real hit with the members and made them want to read more details on the leaflet”), she adds that branch and activist comms need to be “eye-catching and get straight to the point” because of how busy members are.
In conversation, apathetic or inactive members can also be motivated to vote when reps “let them know the hard facts” and explain to them “that they pay their subs every month to have a say in the union and this is their chance.”
Over the coming weeks, then, how can DWP reps ensure that the ballot is successful and that branches are prepared for strike action?
Angie urges them to "set up a weekly branch organising meeting specifically for the ballot to discuss tasks for reps" and attend all the relevant ballot events, especially Movement training, including for Super Saturdays.
“Get reps and members agitated and excited about the upcoming ballot," she adds. "And don't forget to remind them to post their ballots back and tell us when they've done so.”