Fighting against Racism and Fascism

A two-page spread in 2024's issue 3 of PCS People looked at how PCS is fighting racism and fascism, as a national union and as individual members.

Trade unions, including PCS, have a long and proud history of taking a stand against racism and fascism – the response to the racist riots of this summer was no different.

A series of despicable riots and violent attacks organised by far-right groups this summer trampled on the memories of those who fought in the Second World War to defeat fascism. And they trampled on the memories of the three children whose murders in Southport – and the spread of mis- and disinformation about their killer – sparked days of horrific behaviour by anti-immigrant racists, fascists and thugs.

PCS has been involved in the widespread response to counter this surge of far-right activity, which is part of a long-running trend that has seen them emboldened, with their politics of hatred and division spreading in our communities.

This work came to the fore again this summer but is nothing new for our union.

PCS already affiliates nationally to Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), and supports their work to mobilise anti-racists across the UK against the far right. For several years we have campaigned alongside Care4Calais in defence of refugees’ rights to a safe passage to the UK and against inhumane and ineffective policies such as the Tories’ defunct Channel pushback and Rwanda deportation plans.

Many PCS members work tirelessly in their branches and local areas to combat the far right. We support members in trying to drive out racism from their workplaces and communities, including providing training and a 24-hour racial incidents helpline.

PCS works with other unions via the TUC to coordinate actions across the movement, putting members’ safety at the centre of our discussions.

We have repeatedly made the point to ministers that falling living standards coupled with successive governments indulging in the worst type of racist rhetoric against refugees in a naked attempt to mask their failings, have created the conditions that the fascists are now attempting to exploit.

Cesspit

During the summer riots, PCS responded with action, guidance for members and statements of condemnation.

The union’s National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) reassured members worried about their safety that the union has got their back.

In a statement they said: “Our movement is committed to an anti-racism agenda, we condemn the violence, we condemn those that created this cesspit of acceptable racism and Islamophobia in our politics and media; you can never pacify the far right, we need to unite to defeat them wherever they raise their ugly head.” The committee also said action would be taken to report any racism within the civil service. 

All of our work is guided by our anti-racism and anti-fascism (ARAF) strategy, which was recently re-issued.

ARAF: the PCS anti-racist and anti=fascist strategy

Our union has an agreed strategy to help root out racism in our workplaces and in wider society.

 Its purpose is to guide members on how to safely tackle these issues in our workplaces and communities and to put this debate out there among our membership. 

Why do we need it? As the riots in August showed, the far right are on the march in Britain, as has been the case across Europe over the past decade. Our own general election saw the election of five Reform UK candidates, including Nigel Farage, to the UK Parliament.

The far right seeks to exploit genuine grievances, to divide working people by scapegoating and attacking migrants, Muslims and other vulnerable groups.  Falling living standards, stagnant wages, insecure jobs, and rising inequality are exploited to promote their politics of hate. This has been exacerbated by the impact of huge austerity cuts to our schools, hospitals and other public services.

We campaign with other unions and those anti-racist anti-fascist organisations to which we affiliate, via officially organised events that members feel safe to attend.

What’s in the ARAF toolkit?

We seek to give our members and reps the tools they need both to identify and counteract dangerous, racist narratives.

Our ARAF strategy was developed in 2014 and has since been updated to reflect the changing nature of the threat, and is now being reviewed again.

The strategy:

  • provides context to the rise of far-right ideas and groups
  • lists key aims and objectives
  • signposts guidance and resources, and PCS training
  • gives basic guidance on tackling racism in the workplace
  • and reminds members of security issues if they intend to campaign against the far right. 

We encourage members and reps to discuss these issues in their branches, groups and regions, and make use of the union’s resources and training.